Neko's Mate
by Shall-Iin
Summary: Rated for Strong Language! What does Ranma think of the people around him while he's trapped in the nekoken?
1. Neko's Mate

NekoRanma sniffed the air cautiously. He could smell his mate and the scent of pigidiot nearby. He paused in his silent march, straining his senses. He growled at the though of pigidiot beeing near his mate. Pigidiot kept trying to take his mate, but wasn't strong enough to win in a fight against him. Instead, he tried bribing his mate.  
  
NekoRanma snorted. As if his mate was fool enough to mate with pigidiot because of some shiny and noisy trinkets. His mate was smarter than that. That was why she had chosen him, and why he had chosen her. Many females kept trying to rut with him, but he had no interest in them. What fun was there in taking what was so freely offered? He was a cat, not a dog. Why rut with a dogbitch who would spread herself so easily when he could win a prize like his mate.  
  
He needed someone strong and smart as his mate and he had found the strongest and smartest mate ever. She fought him and argued with him and challenged him daily to improve himself. She was sought after by many strong rivals, who he had to fight off. Many weaker beings would see this as a reason to chose one of the dogbitches that chased after him. But they did not understand that those rivals had made him stronger. Even pigidiot. Without them, he would not be strong enough to protect his mate. He would not be strong enough to even gain her interest. Just look at the stickfool. At one point, he could have taken NekoRanma's mate before NekoRanma met her, but refused to show her his true strength. This had infuriated his mate, who punished all the males around her. Though he could not harm his mate, he had been helping her imporve her skills and now, she was far beyond the stickfool. Soon, she would be equal to the girlboy who made such delicious food and fought with the big flat thing.  
  
He caught wiff her scent and could now hear her beating heart. Joy filled him. Soon he would be with her again. He moved cautiously in the direction of her heart, scaning as well as he could for signs of a trap. His enemies were many and often they used his mate as bait in their plans to destroy him. He hissed at the thought, rage filling him. No matter what they did, none of them would take his mate.  
  
He rounded a large boulder and paused. She was sitting on the steps leading into their dwelling. Pigidiot was sitting next to her, munching on a plate of leftover goodies from some meal his mate's eldest sibling had prepared. He sneered at the sight of his most hated rival, and vowed that one day soon, he would show his mate the pigidiot's secret. He stayed in hiding, watching as his mate gazed at the peaceful waters of the pond. She was wearing her yellow top fur and loose blue bottom furs today. Those annoying white paw pads were on her feet, though she had removed the hard bottomed foot covers. His attention was diverted as the white pads began wriggling and rubbing each other. He hissed at them, but calmed when he noticed his mate was not in pain. He was no fool. He knew that the pink wriggly things he liked to chased and bat were inside those covers. He would kill them one day, when they were no longer attached to his mate.  
  
Puffing up with pleasure, he decided to let his mate know he had returned. He leapted over the boulder and in three smaller leaps was at his mate's feet. He purred and rubbed his head against the blue fur. His mate was a little strange. She changed her fur often and many times it was very odd to see. But of all her furs, he enjoyed rubbing the blue fur most. He could smell her very well through it, and could even feel her body heat. He looked up at her face, smiling and grinning as she smiled down at him. How he loved that smile!  
  
A sharp pain in his hindquarters caused him to hiss and spin in place, looking for what had attacked him. He saw nothing but the pigidiot, glaring at him with his large eyes. Angry at being interupted while stropping his mate, he growled at the pig, watching it's eyes grow wide with fear. It turned to run, but he was quicker. A quick swipe of his paw, with claws retracted, sent the small annoyance flying across the yard to slam against the boulder near the pond. He started to move to finish the pig, but his mate's hand came to rest on his shoulder and he forgot all about anger as he looked up at her lovely face. She stroked his shoulder with one hand, while scratching his chin with the other.  
  
"What am I going to do with you, baka? Why can't you and Pchan get along?" she whispered to him.  
  
He didn't understand the sounds she was making, but he could tell that she was sad. Placing his paws on her shoulders, her gave her a loving kiss. He rubbed his face against hers and licked her nose. Taking a moment to enjoy the smile on her face, he turned and leapt over to the pigidiot. Gently batting it with a paw, he saw it begin to stir, and picked it up by the strange fur at its neck. He trotted back to his mate, placing the pigidiot beside her and mewling. He curled up protectively at her feet, placing his body over the pink wrigglies in their white covers. He made sure his body was between them and his mates and began to purr as she stroked his head. She even scratched behind his ears just the way he liked. Soon, he drifted into a nice nap, pleased to know that he had once again saved his mate, even if it was just from the pink wrigglies. The world around him faded to dark as he slipped into sleep.  
  
*******  
  
Ranma woke slowly, as usual. He felt weird, and knew that he had once again gone Neko. He wondered what he had done this time. The last thing he remembered was running from Shampoo and Mousse and turning into a building, hoping they wouldn't follow. He kept his eyes closed. He was sleeping on the ground, curled around something both firm and soft. He felt something wriggle against his stomach and realised where he was. He opened his eyes and looked up into his fiancee's face. She had a small smile on her face as she looked down at him. He met her smile with one of his own and slowly moved off her feet, kneeling in front of her.  
  
"Did I do anything bad, Akane?" he asked, fearing what he might have done in his neko state.  
  
Akane tilted her head to study him as she pondered the question. "Nothing I've heard of yet, Ranma. You just hopped over the boulder, rubbed against me a bit and kissed me again."  
  
"I did?" he asked startled again that his neko side could so easily do something he longed to do.  
  
Her face changed into a stern look. "You hit Pchan again. You knocked him clear across the yard into the boulder. Why Ranma? Why do you hate him so much. He's only a harmless little piggy. It's not like you have anything to be jealous about."  
  
"Jealous? Why would I be jeal-" he stopped, seeing the look on her face darken. With a sigh, he rocked back a bit. "I'm sorry Akane. But you have to see this from my side. What was I doing before I hit him? What was he doing? Sometimes, Akane, I wish that you'd take a good look at what goes on before I attack the pig. Then you might understand. The pig attacks me too, you know."  
  
Akane sighed and looked down at the small animal. Pchan was on his feet glaring at Ranma. When he noticed she was looking at him, he stopped glaring and put on a cute happy expression and jumped into her lap.  
  
"He doesn't understand Ranma. He's just a pig. He probably thinks you're attacking me or something." Pchan nodded vigorously, much to Ranma's disgust.  
  
Ranma threw a nasty glare at Pchan. Than a grin lit his face. "He's an aggressive little runt. You know I'd never hurt you, Akane."  
  
Akane glanced up at Ranma, only to look away in embarrassement at the tender look on his face. "I know, Ranma." she answered quietly. "I've never thought you would."  
  
Ranma stood from his crouch across from Akane and sat next to her, closer than he usually did. Hesitantly, fearing her reaction, he slid his arm around her waist, pulling her gently against his side. He was relieved that instead of an angry attack, Akane rested her head on his shoulder. He nuzzled against her hair, breathing deeply of the scented shampoo she used. He relaxed and turned to face the setting sun, feeling a sense of peace he only felt when they were alone and he could let his guard down. 


	2. Neko 2

AN:  
  
Due to popular demand, I've decided to write a few more short NekoRanma fics. I'm just going to write them as they come to me, and they won't be in any order, but I might later decide to place them in some kind of order so be warned! You might come back to these and find them reordered somehow.  
  
This one here, at least in my mind could be considered as coming before the first one I uploaded. As in right before. This is probably the only one that will have any clear order. I just want to get a few snapshot type moments between Ranma and Akane when Ranma's in the Nekoken.  
  
Hope you like it.  
  
****************************************************************************  
  
NekoRanma growled and twisted, dodging the stream of water directed at him by the old freak. He'd been minding his own business, when the purple haired dogbitch had leapt at him, only to be splashed with water before she'd landed. He'd tried to get away, but the old freak had tripped him, causing the fear to spike and NekoRanma to wake. He hated that he could only wake in fear. Sometimes, he didn't understand what his human half was thinking letting the tramp and the old freak treat them that way.  
  
He lashed out with his claws, deliberately slowing his attack so as to not seriously injure the old freak. He might be a perverted old freak who no one really liked, but he was a good martial artist and his human half had learned a lot from him. Of course, the old freak hid most of his power, but then again so did he, when his human mind was awake. Even now, he was really toying with the freak, enjoying the chance to let loose. It wasn't often that he got a chance to stretch his muscles since the human half was in charge of their body most of the time.  
  
He growled as a familiar scent came to his nose from upwind. Stickboy and BlindDuck were coming. While he could easily deal with all three of his enemies, he didn't wish to kill anyone, and with all three attacking him, that was a possibility. Stickboy was nothing really. He could defeat that fool in his sleep. Duckboy was more challenging, simply because of the sheer number and variety of weapons he could pull from his sleeves. Still, not a real challenge. A strike of the old freak's pipe against his shoulder sent him flying threw the air to slam against the wall. He shook his head and snarle, all playfulness disappearing from his mannerisms. He could tell that the old freak had also sensed the imminent arrival of more of his rivals.  
  
Letting loose a roar at the old freak, he released a little more of his control and allowed his ki to flare around his body. He lashed out quickly at the old freak, surprising him and slicing the pipe and sleeve of his gi into several sections. The freak leapt back, a frown on his face, as he paused to consider his next course of action while awaiting the arrival of the young idiots.  
  
NekoRanma knew this. He had planned it. The freak had knocked him against a wall, causing cracks to form. His sense of smell and hearing let him know that right through the now crumbling wall was a series of pipes carrying water. He had only to await for Duckboy's attack to destroy the wall and pipes.  
  
Seconds later, it happened. Duckboy leapt over a car, dozens of metal claw weapons held in his hands, shouting something NekoRanma didn't understand. That was one thing he envied his human half for. His human half could understand those sounds and made similarr sounds of his own. Duckboy's hands flashed and the weapons flew towards him. Waiting until the last second, NekoRanma jumped straight up and landed on the wall next to the building. The wall was shattered and the pipes sliced open by the force of the throws and a stream of cold water came spraying out, splashing Duckboy and transforming him into his cursed form. A rumble in NekoRanma's stomach reminded him that he'd not had a chance to eat since breakfast when his mate's sister had made some delicious fishcakes. He briefly pondered catching the duck, but it seemed to catch the look and his face and flew off, quacking in fear.  
  
He allowed himself a slight purr, before turning to attack the freak, but the freak was gone. He'd used the distraction of Duckboy to escape. NekoRanma growled in frustration, than sat on his haunches to wait for Stickboy. He purposely ignored the plaintive mewing of the small, white and purple feline, knowing that it was really the purple haired dogbitch who kept trying to interfere with him and his mate.  
  
A full minute passed before Stickboy came running around the corner, swinging the wooden toy he thought was a weapon. NekoRanma allowed the boy to swing the stick, and leapt landing on the blade. He used his ki to dig into the wood and stared into Stickboy's eyes, growling angrily at him.  
  
Stickboy made those annoying sounds again, and NekoRanma had enough. He'd grown bored of the fighting today. He had better things to do. His mate was somewhere nearby, likely at their dwelling. He had to get to her and show her how he felt, since his human half was too stupid to do so for them. Though, it might be best to find hot water first and wake his human half. His mate was in heat right now, and it was getting more and more difficult to be near her when she was in that state without acting on his instincts. He resisted only because he knew his mate was waiting for his human half to admit their feelings for her.  
  
She might fool his senseblind human half, and their rivals, but his senses could tell how she felt. There was a special smell she had that she only had when she was around him. It was similar to the smell of her heat, but deeper and he knew that it had to do with how she felt for him. She was giving him the signals that she wanted him, but his human half's senses were too weak to pick them up or notice them.  
  
Stickboy continued to annoy NekoRanma with his meaningless sounds, so NekoRanma lashed out with a paw, much more gently than he did against the old fool or duckboy. The swat was still strong enough to send Stickboy crashing upside down and face first into the wall, leaving him embedded about two inches into the soft stone.  
  
With a final glare and hiss at the feline dogbitch, he turned and started leaping towards home and his mate. 


	3. Neko 3

Here's another Neko story. Hope you all enjoy  
  
***************************************************************  
  
NekoRanma ducked behind the bushes. He was having good day. First, his human half had managed to get ahold of some excellent tuna, and then he'd ran into a small kitten, and instead of completely fighting his emergence, had somewhat stepped aside to allow him out to play.  
  
He'd quickly returned home to find his mate practicing her skills in the fighting cave. He watched from behind the bushes as she punched and kicked at the air, her yellow fur she wore for these times moving smoothly over her body. He enjoyed seeing her like this, it gave her skin a healthy glow. She was always happiest at these times, just working on improving her skills as a warrior. He loved that about her. She was the least skilled of all his suitors and rivals, yet somehow, she had been the one born with the fiercest heart. She was a work of art. Strong, caring, and compassionate. She had so many contradictions within her that NekoRanma could barely understand her at times.  
  
It didn't matter though. He'd known since his human half had first looked in her eyes. She was his. And he was hers. It was the only time fear had not awoken him from his rest. Somehow, during that brief glance, both he and his human self had been awake and together in their body. They'd both known instinctively that they'd found something special. Something worth fighting for. Something worth dying for. Something worth .. .killing for. And he had. That firebird fool who had stolen his mate had felt his anger, even though the human self had controlled their body. He'd been able to use the power of NekoRanma to fight the firebird and save their mate. She'd returned to them, and he'd never felt such joy as the moment he'd felt her return as he watched from the corner of his human self that he'd claimed as his own. He didn't think his human self was even aware that he was there. But he was. For the first time, he'd understood the sounds his human self and his species made. He was able to know how close to telling her he'd come and it shamed him that his human self had backed out when the idiots had come to them.  
  
Shaking his head to clear his thoughts of those terrible memories, he stuck his head out of the bush to check on his mate. He was waiting until she finished her excersises before he'd let her know that he was there. He was surprised to find his mate's face inches from his own a smile lighting it up.  
  
Startled he let out a his and pounced back. His mate giggled and motioned for him to come closer, making little cooing sounds that were strangely calming. He tossed his head and stalked forward, coming to rest in front of his kneeling mate. He looked up at her face and started to purr, adding a gentle mew, asking if she was all right.  
  
Her smile grew and she scratched behind his ears, just where he liked it. His eyes closed as the gentle scratching turned to petting and he moved closer, gently nudging her onto her haunches so he could strope her legs. Her hand started to pet his back. He arched happily into her strokes, enjoying the soft, loving gesture, even if she wasn't ready for the rest of the results her stroking of him had. He shifted his legs, hating the false furs his human self forced them to wear.  
  
Looking into his mate's eyes, he leaned up and kissed her, enjoying the shocked look on her face. He twisted so that she was rubbing his belly and purred louder, letting her know how he enjoyed her touch. He noticed his mate's eyes dart to his legs and the darknening of her cheeks. He twisted and turned in her lap, allowing her to see how much he enjoyed what she was doing, even if neither of them was prepared to breed yet. They had time. It wouldn't be safe for their cubs until his human self knocked some sense into their rivals and suitors. Again he marveled that such a perfect creature would choose him and was glad that he had met her.  
  
If he hadn't, he might had been forced to mate with one of those silly dogbitches that chased him. He'd die before he bred a cub with any of them. Only his mate was worthy of his seed. And only he was worthy of siring her cubs. Stickboy, Pigidiot, and all the others were not worth the pain and risk of birth.  
  
Turning, and hiding his arousal, he mewed at his mate and looked to the pond. She understood his question and nodded, motioning to the pond, a thoughtful look on her face. Happily, NekoRanma skipped to the pond, and leapt in, allowing his human self to wake in their female body.  
  
**************************************************************  
  
Ranma blinked and looked around wondering how he got to the Tendo dojo and landed once again in the koi pond. He noticed Akane leaning against the dojo's entrance, a thoughtful expression on her face as she studied him. "Er, what happened, Akane? Last thing I remember, I had stopped for a snack at a diner by the park. Then, I heard something shuffling in an alley and . .. it's blank after that."  
  
Akane walked over with a towel as Ranma dragged herself out of the pond. She silently held the towel out for her fiancee, who took it with a smile. "I think you heard a cat, Ranma. You were in the NekoKen again. I was practising in the dojo and noticed you sneaking peeks at me, so I snuck up while you were ducking under a bush and startled you. You stalked around for a few minutes, then you settled down against me for a good petting. Then you looked at the pond and mewed. I guessed you were asking me if you should turn back human, so I gave you a gentle push and then you hopped over and leapt in."  
  
"Nothing else happened, did it? I didn't kiss you or anything?" Ranma asked, noting the odd look in Akane's eyes as she watched him remove his shirt and dry off. He left the towel wrapped around his breasts, knowing how Akane and her family hated it when he walked around exposing them. Truth be told, he was starting to hate it himself, but he'd worked himself into a corner pretending not to care at all how people treated his girl half.  
  
Akane thought for a moment, trying to decide what to tell her fiancee. She'd never noticed before just how soft Ranma's skin looked when he was a girl, or how little difference it made in her reactions to him, no matter what his sex or species. "Let's just say, you were very, very happy to see me, Ranma. It was partially why you hopped in the pool. It didn't look too comfortable."  
  
It took a few seconds, but Akane's veiled reference finally struck home, causing Ranma to freeze and blush as red as her current hair color. "Uh, . . . sorry?" she stuttered, feeling totally horrified by the idea of Akane seeing her like that. "That happens sometimes to guys. We don't exactly control it."  
  
Akane giggled and bumped Ranma's shoulder. "Don't worry Ranma. I'm not mad. It startled me at first, but after a bit, I realised that it was a compliment, sort of."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"It means that at least part of you doesn't think I'm a 'Kawekunee Otemba'. You like me." Akane said with a teasing grin on her face.  
  
Startled Ranma turned to face his fiancee. "I do not! You are too a kawekunee otemba!"  
  
Akane grinned and blew a raspberry at her fiancee. "Yes you do and no I'm not."  
  
"You're the most tomboyish tomboy in the world! The only thing cute about you is how uncute you are!" Ranma stated hotly.  
  
Akane pouted at the red haired martial artist. She reached a hand out and poked Ranma's breast, startling them both at how much each enjoyed it. "Yes you doooo!" She called as she turned and sprinted towards the dojo.  
  
Ranma was frozen for a second. It wasn't the first time Akane grabbed or touched her breast, but it was the first time there was no pain involved. Shaking her head, she got a glimpse of Akane's yellow gi as she turned into the dojo. "Hey! Come back here! We're not done arguing yet, tomboy. You haven't bashed me with that tomboyish mallet of yours yet." Ranma spring to the dojo leaping into it without bothering with the steps. She frowned as she looked around, not seeing her fiancee until a hand grasped her shoulder and spun her around.  
  
Akane had a strange smile on her face, one that cause Ranma's insides to tingle and heat to pool in her stomach. Ranma was frozen as Akane leaned forward and gave his lips a gentle kiss. Ranma's hand snapped up to caress her lips in shock.  
  
"I like you too, Ranma." the bluehaired girl whispered as she spun and ran giggling to the house, leaving a stunned and shocked Ranma to watch her.  
  
In a small corner of Ranma's mind, a mewling purr resounded as a part of him he kept hidden laughed his proverbial tail off. 


	4. Neko 4

Here's another NekRamna tale. As usual, I own nothing.  
  
Oh. I had some review and email asking about how intelligent NekoRanma seems. Here's my view on the nekoken:  
  
It sucks. It's a horrible thing to do to a person and Genma should fry in hell for it.  
  
Now, as for Ranma. Let's not forget one thing: He IS a human being. Even when under the nekoken, he's human. It doesn't turn him into a cat, or he'd have fur and whiskers. Being that he is a human who thinks he's a cat, and not an actual cat, I feel that he'd be a little brighter while under the curse. Still easily distracted and highly emotional, but with a human mind burried under all the feline instincts. He'd still have access to that human intelligence, but with a cat's point of view and therefore wouldn't understand words.  
  
That's how I think the nekoken works. It doesn't replace the person's mind, so much as covers it with a thin layer of 'feline' mannerisms that the trainee would have observed during the torturous training. It's like a form of hypnotism. A person under hypnosis will not commit or perform an act that goes against their core psyche. It's the same here. Otherwise, try explaining why a nekoRanma would not kill those that attacked him, or something that would make a handy snack (Pchan). In his heightened state of speed and strength, Ranma can easily defeat Cologne and Happosai, so why aren't his enemies dead? Because Ranma has been trained to PROTECT life, and not to take it. A martial artist of Ranma's caliber would see the taking of life as a loss of honor and as a reflection of his own lack of skills. By the end of the canon series, Ranma is able to defeat Saffron, something that no one among the Amazon's would have thought to do. Saffron was powerful enough, even in his unfinished growth, to throw a blast that destroyed a mountain. He could wipe out entire villages with one blast, yet Ranma defeated him.  
  
If he truly lost control and went into the nekoken, then nekoRanma would destroy anything and anyone that got in its way that was less powerful than him. Not to mention his behaviour if any of the more than willing females(even those in denial) were ovulating. I don't want to offend anyone, but scent is a strong factor in animal mating rituals, and even humans give off pheremones that indicate that they are 'ready, and able' to be impregnated, or are looking for potential mates. If that wasn't true, than there would be no such thing as a perfume and cologne industry.  
  
So Ranma's concious mind is sublimated, not erased during the periods that he's under the nekoken. At least, that's the way I see it.  
  
Uh. This is slightly different during the second part. I hope it works.  
  
Anywhoo. Let's get the next story going. ---------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
NekoRanma mewed politely to his mate's eldest sister. He'd come upon her at market near the fish merchant. He'd hoped to be able to get a meal from the large selection while the merchant was dealing with a customer, but a familliar scent came to his nostrils and he'd paused to await for the Provider's appearance.  
  
He had not waited long as within seconds of noting the pleasant, peacefull smell, quite similar to his mate's, she had rounded a corner and approached the merchant he'd been studying. He carefully approached from downwind, staying low to avoid detection from one of his rivals. He knew that stickfool was around, since he last remembered awaking not long ago with a scattering of cats and the stickfool's old servant standing nearby.  
  
His silent approach was unobserved by all save his mate's sister, who turned and glanced down as he took a spot near her back, protecting her for his mate. He knew his mate loved her sister, and he was fond of her himself. Of the females he'd met since meeting his mate, he thought that Provider was perhaps the worthiest of having been chosen as his mate. She was the most gentle, caring being nekoRanma could remember knowing. If he had not already bonded his mate the second they crossed eyes, he would have found some way of having his human self choose Provider.  
  
But the gods had other ideas and he'd seen his mate's face first. And nothing could break their bond, no matter how much she and his human self denied that same bond. He could admit to himself that both he and Provider were happiest with the way things had gone. Though he thought they could have come to love each other, each knew that the other was not quite what they needed.  
  
He cocked his head to his side as Provider made more of those gentle sounding but incomprehensible sounds and pointing at the fish. He mewed, guessing that she was asking him if he wished for a snack. He approved, as he could tell that his human self had not eaten in several hours and that, combined with the divine smells of the fish, had been what had attracted him this way after fleeing from stickfool and his dogbitch sister, crazyflower.  
  
He watched as Provider spoke those odd sounds at the merchant and the two conversed in this manner for several moments before the merchant wrapped a large tuna and placed it in a bag for Provider. He waited patiently as the merchant also selected a second fish, this one a small shark. Before the merchant could cover it in the wrapping, Provider motioned for him to toss it to the crouching figure next to her. NekoRanma looked up and mewed questionly at her, wondering if the fish that landed at his feet was indeed for him. Seeing her smile and nod, he purred and stropped her legs, before picking the fish up and trotting after her as she walked back towards their dwelling. He could have stripped the fish to it's bones in seconds, but he would prefer to eat it in the safety of his territory. There were too many of the human people walking around and he could smell other cats, and even worse: dogs. He hated dogs. Unlike the cats, they weren't smart enough to stay away when nekoRanma was in their territory and would often approach and harrass him. Though they only did so once, he thought with a purr around the fine tasting mouthfull of shark in his mouth.  
  
Upon reaching their home, he happily stropped Provider's legs again before leaping the fence she had to open to enter, and sniffing the air to find his mate's scent. She didn't approve of his eating uncooked foods near her, and he wished to know where it would be best to eat his snack. After he ate, he'd seek her out and see if she'd pet him again. He'd had a rough morning and deserved a few minutes of pleasure with his mate before allowing his human self to regain control of their body. ************************************************************  
  
Kasumi smiled as she watched the various people go about their business in the open market. She prefered getting her groceries at this market instead of the closed in and mass produced stuff at the chain stores. She found most of the fresh goods here were of better quality and size than those available at the stores. She spotted an oddly silent and scratched up Kuno followed by his loyal ninja, Sasuke as the two limped out of a small shed in the field next to the market. Running from out of the shed, she noticed, were several cats and kittens of various ancestry.  
  
From the clues, she gathered that Kuno had again attempted to harrass Ranma's nekoken self and had been thrashed soundly. She shook her head sadly at the thought. The poor Kuno boy was out of his league. Ranma was a far superior martial artist than he, yet he insisted that Ranma was only able to defeat him through magic and foul means. She hoped that Kuno did not push Ranma too hard, for the poor boy was under enough pressure from the far more serious threats that constantly plagued his life.  
  
As she neared the fish stalls, she remembered that Kuno had been scratche up like a cat had attacked him. She realised that Ranma was now somewhere nearby in the nekoken, and decided to seek him out near the closest source of food: the rather open and odorous fish stalls. Ranma, even when fully human, had a great preference for fresh fish and without a doubt, his heightened nekoken senses would sooner or later draw him to this stall.  
  
A faint sound from behind her caused her to turn. She was far from surprised to notice that it was nekoRanma creeping up behind her. She smiled down at the crouched figure, who was looking around and sniffing slightly.  
  
"Hello Ranmakun. I see it's been a rough day for you." she said quietly, knowing that he would not understand the words, but that the tone would convey her affection for him. He was a handsome boy, she thought, and if not for the instant spark she'd felt from her seat when Akane and Ranma had first made eye contact, she might had relieved Akane of the engagement and taken it upon herself. He was a very caring and loving young man who had been stiffled under Genma's heavy handed approach to teaching. She felt certain that with a little love and understanding, Ranma would make a fine man and loving parent. He'd certainly never treat any children the way his father had treated him.  
  
But as fate would have it, she had seen and felt that spark when her sister met Ranma's eyes. It hadn't mattered at the time that Ranma was female and embarassed by Nabiki's prodding. She'd sensed that all was not as it seemed and that their life was about to change drastically. And it had. Mostly for the better. Until Genma's arrival, her father had become rather lazy in his approach to life. He had trained Akane only since he could not find a way to get out of it.  
  
Genma had brought a spark back into her father that had been missing since her mother's death. And Ranma was a joy and blessing. He'd managed to open some of her younger sister's walls and Akane had become steadily more capable in her martial arts and much more outgoing. She'd been somewhat shy, a factor that increased after that Kuno boy's idiotic proclamation.  
  
Ranma's arrival had brought a whole new slough of problems, but they in turn only strengthened the bond between the two. Neither was ready to admit it, but it was easy to see that they loved each other. That was a large part of the reason their rivals behaved the way they did. They knew that the two already loved each other, and could not stand letting them go. She herself could understand that, since she felt similarly for a slightly older doctor of her acquaintance.  
  
She noticed Ranma's eyes straying to the fish in the stall and smiled. "Are you hungry, Ranmakun? Would you like a special treat?"  
  
Ranma's face light up and he purred happily. She giggled and turned to the merchant.  
  
"I'll take that tuna there." she stated pointing gently at the large fish.  
  
The merchant was an old friend and had been selling her fish at this stall for years. "Planning a special meal tonight, Tendo-san?"  
  
Kasumi smiled warmly at the elderly man. "Hai, Omane-san. I'm making a casserol and a special fish desert. I need a large tuna for the recipe."  
  
Omanesan smiled kindly at the angelic girl. He picked out a larger fish than the one she hadd selected and started wrapping it. "Here we go than. I know that Ranma-kun there and his father tend to eat more, so I'll give you this one at the same price as the ones you usually get."  
  
Kasumi's smile grew and the whole day seemed to brighten for those nearby. "Thank you Omane-san. That is very kind of you. I'd also like a smaller fish, something different than what I usually get, if you have anything."  
  
Omane grinned. "I have just the thing. My son caught a couple of these last night. I wasn't sure if I'd sell them or keep them, but my wife decided to have me sell them." He reached into a small cooler and pulled out a 15inch stripped shark. "Here we go, a little shark to go with the tuna. It's a little sharper tasting and the meat is slightly orange tinged, but it will go well with the tuna." He started to wrap it, but Kasumi stopped him.  
  
"Oh, thank you Omane-san, but that's not necessary. It's for Ranma-kun. He's in his nekoken state right now and he's had a rough day. I thought he deserved a special treat for having to deal with that strange Kuno boy today."  
  
Omane snorted. Like all true Nerimites, he was aware of the Kuno family and their mental states, as well as Ranma's own difficulties. He tossed the boy- cat the fish, and watched as he happily picked it up in his mouth and started purring. "In that case, Tendo-san, permit me to make a gift of this tidbit. Anyone who has to spend so much of their time dealing with that family does deserve a treat every now and then. Let Ranma know that anytime he's nekokenned, he can come by and I'll have a treat for him. I'm not fully sure how much he understands, but I'll make sure to either keep a little something special for him, or to look the other way when he sneaks a quick bite from my stall."  
  
Kasumi tried to refuse, but Omane-san insisted. She agreed to pass along the message and after paying and bowing, she started towards her home, Ranma trotting proudly beside her. She was a little surprised to see that he hadn't eaten the shark yet, but guessed that he'd rather eat it in his own home territory. She'd noticed that several alleycats were staring at him, and there was even a stray dog or two who growled as they passed by. She had never given thought to what real animals thought of nekoRanma. She supposed that they viewed him as they did other animals: either an intruder to be warned off of a challenger to be fought.  
  
They reached the Tendo Dojo within minutes. As Kasumi moved to open the gate, Ranma stropped against her legs again before leaping over the wall into the grounds. She passed through the gates just in time to see him scamper up into the branches of his favorite tree where he made himself comfortable and started to tear into his treat. She wondered if she should get some water for him, but decided that he'd likely seek out Akane after his snack, and the two so rarely had time together in which to share their true feelings.  
  
Feeling happy for her sister and future brother, she made her way into the kitchen and laid out her ingredients and began tackling a more challenging problem than her sister's love life: Making enough food of her quality to feed a small army. 


	5. Neko 5

Here's another of my Neko Ranma stories. For something I intended as a one shot, it just keeps growing.  
  
Still not planning on doing it as a series of continous story lines. Just keeping it as short little snapshots into nekoRanma's life. I am willing to take requests for specific interactions with other characters, so if there's something you want to see, just email me at :  
  
shall-iin@mindless.com  
  
Oh, again. I hereby claim complete and total lack of ownership towards the characters, settings and names of events used in this story. I own nothing accept the idea of putting said characters into those situations I have created for them.  
  
Here's a list of nicks I'll use for some characters(some have multiple):  
  
Tatewaki Kuno=stickfool/boy Kodaichi Kuno=crazyflower Kasumi Tendo=Provider(always capitalized to show his respect) Cologne=ghoul/troll Happosai=old freak Mouse=blindduck/duckboy Shampoo=purplefur Ukyo Kuonji=? (flatstick cook or girlboy) Konatsu Kenzan=boygirl Ryoga Hibiki=pigidiot Nabiki Tendo=greedygirl/trickster Genma Saotome=pandaoyaji/greedygut Nodaka=mother/ Akane Tendo=mate Soun Tendo=weteyes  
  
I'll make up more for some of the minor characters when I think of them. Collectively, nekoRanma will refer to his suitors as dogbitches. The fathers are sillysires. **************************************************  
  
nekoRanma paced the small room, frustrated that his mate would not allow him to leave. He galnced out the clear side of the wall where he could scent a fresh breeze and the tantalizing smells of freedom. The room itself was almost burning his nostrils with the scent of so many humans. If it wasn't for the disapproval on his mate's face while he made to escape, he would have left here long ago.  
  
He gave a hiss of irritation and made his way to the corner. He ignored the trembling male with the weird furs and odd removable face markings while he tried to find something interesting to occupy his time. He could tell that his mate was displeased with him for something, but it was not his fault the elderly male at the front of the room was uninteresting to him. Maybe if he could understand the strange sounds coming from his mouth, he might find it interesting, but from what he could understand of his human self, he highly doubted it.  
  
He'd awoken in this room after last awaking in the fighting cave. The scent of purplefur was all over him and he wished dearly to be able to run out and clean himself. He would do it here, but he didn't want to anger his mate. The last time he'd removed his false furs to clean himself, she'd bashed him with her club and thrown him into a wall. He certainly didn't want that to happen. She'd been showing signs lately that she was beginning to come closer to being ready to be mated and he didn't want to waste his progress.  
  
Even the dogbitches that chased him were doing so with less and less real effort or enthusiam. Only pigidiot and stickboy were still behaving at the same insane levels as before. The freak and the ghoul of course were going as they always did, and pandaoyaji was too stupid to change. But lately, his anger at their interuptions of his time with his mate seemed to be getting through to them. They still grabbed him in order to rub against him and anger his mate. But they were less aggresive towards his mate and seemed to shy away when he started growling at them. His human self was too dense to have caught the change, though he suspected that his mate had and that this had helped him with increasing their few moments of calm together.  
  
Deciding that he couldn't deal with this for much longer, he made his way to his mate and squatted at her feet. He mewed pitifully at her and turned his gaze towards the open space where the air was entering this room. His mate looked down at him before sighing and asking the elder something in that strange language these humans used.  
  
Whatever they said must have been an agreement for his mate smiled down at him and waved him to the opening. She made those sounds again. It was the same sound that she made whenever she wanted him to go home, so he guessed the sounds where her asking him to meet her at their home when he finished patrolling his larger territory. With a happy meow and purr, he leaned up and licked her cheek, wriggling his body as only a cat could. He bounded happily to the space and leapt out, not caring how high off the ground he found himself. He'd leapt from much higher heights without injury. As he landed, he spotted the stickboy and crazyflower's servant.  
  
With a roar of glee, he leapt forward, swiping his claws to cut down the branch the short wrinkly human was hiding on. The human yelled something and threw a foul smelling ball of smoke while trying to run. Sadly for him, nekoRanma's senses were too keen to be fooled by the trick and he happily chased the runt back to his master's home.  
  
After playing with the runt for a while, he got bored and decided to head home. If he was lucky, his mate would be there and they could play in the fighting cave for a while before he had to turn his body back over to his human self.  
  
********************************************************  
  
Akane sighed as she watched Ranma happily bounce out of the classroom. Her face was red from the lick Ranma'd given her. Though she was extremely saddened that Ranma's idiot father had trained him in the nekoken, she was glad that the nekoken allowed her a glimpse at Ranma's true feelings for her.  
  
She tried to concentrate on the lessons, but her mind was centered on her unwanted fiancee. Well, she thought he was unwanted. Oh hell, who did she think she was kidding. She would gladly marry Ranma if he would only get the courage to actually ask her and to do something about those fiancee's of his. Although, lately, they'd seemed to be slightly less eager to continue to try and grope him and to fight her over him.  
  
She'd loved Ranma for so long, she wasn't even sure when she'd first realized it. It wasn't like she'd waken one morning and said 'Oh yeah, I love Ranma.' It was a gradual realization that Ranma was the center of her life. That she couldn't even imagine a life or a future without him beside her. That she wanted nothing more than to be able to comfort him and help him when he suffered another of his idiot father's past mistakes coming to haunt them all.  
  
She found that she felt the same about him no matter if he was a boy or girl, and was further surprised to find that she even enjoyed his nekofied self. She'd started to actually look forward to his time in the nekoken, though she was saddened that he had to be terrified before he could slip into it. He was more open when he was a cat, much more willing to show his feelings. And to avoid his multitude of suitors and rivals.  
  
Finally classes for the day ended and she was free to return home. She hummed happily to herself before reaching the end of the block. Schooling her face into a neutral expression, while inwardly hidding her pleasure as she noted Ranma standing crouched at the gate waiting for her, she made her way down the block, gently shoving her fiancee aside as she tried to entire the house.  
  
"Look Ranma, I know you're happy to see me, but I want to get changed. Why don't you go meet me in the dojo and maybe I'll change you back in there." She stated, knowing that Ranma wouldn't understand her words. She gestured to the dojo and waved him towards it. He purred and rubbed against her happily before bounding over in the effortless leaps she'd come to know.  
  
She changed in her room and skipped down to the dojo, calling out to her eldest sister to let her and Ranma know when dinner was ready. She entered the dojo and was immediately tripped by leg. She rolled easily and came to her feet turning just in time to see Ranma leap over her and tap her on the back. Grinning wildly, she chased her hopping, purring fiancee around the dojo and occassionaly into the yard and back until Kasumi called for them to clean up for supper.  
  
As the two made their way to the house, Akane glanced at Ranma. He'd spent most of the day as a cat. She pantomined a steaming kettle while asking : "Would you like some hot water, Ranma?"  
  
Ranma seemed to consider her words, though she knew that he didn't know the words, he had learned what her motions meant. He meowed somewhat resignedly and nodded, pausing at the entrance while she got the kettle from Kasumi.  
  
Before she poured the water over him, she leaned in and gave him a kiss, dumping the water over his head a few seconds into it. She could almost feel the humanity come back into him as the water poured over him.  
  
She watched with a grin as he scrambled back away from her.  
  
"I didn't meant to! It wasn't my fault!" he stated quickly, bracing himself for her to mallet him.  
  
She shook her head. "Ranma no baka. Of course it wasn't your fault. I kissed you, silly. Now enough cowaring, dinner is ready."  
  
Ranma stuttered at her statement, somewhat shocked at her announcement. "I ain't cowaring from nothing!"  
  
Akane laughing shook her head, and stated that he had. They continued back and forth until they reached the table, and dinner was served. Ranma was too busy protecting his plate and stealing from his father's to continue and she herself was in too good a mood. All in all, it was just another typical day in the lives of Akane Tendo and Ranma Saotome. 


	6. Neko 6

Here's another of my Neko Ranma stories. For something I intended as a one shot, it just keeps growing.  
  
Still not planning on doing it as a series of continous story lines. Just keeping it as short little snapshots into nekoRanma's life. I am willing to take requests for specific interactions with other characters, so if there's something you want to see, just email me at :  
  
shall-iin@mindless.com  
  
Oh, again. I hereby claim complete and total lack of ownership towards the characters, settings and names of events used in this story. I own nothing accept the idea of putting said characters into those situations I have created for them.  
  
Here's a list of nicks I'll use for some characters(some have multiple):  
  
Tatewaki Kuno=stickfool/boy Kodaichi Kuno=crazyflower Kasumi Tendo=Provider(always capitalized to show his respect) Cologne=ghoul/troll Happosai=old freak Mouse=blindduck/duckboy Shampoo=purplefur Ukyo Kuonji=? (flatstick cook or girlboy) Konatsu Kenzan=boygirl Ryoga Hibiki=pigidiot Nabiki Tendo=greedygirl/trickster Genma Saotome=pandaoyaji/greedygut Nodaka=mother/ Akane Tendo=mate Soun Tendo=weteyes  
  
I'll make up more for some of the minor characters when I think of them. Collectively, nekoRanma will refer to his suitors as dogbitches. The fathers are sillysires. ************************************************************************  
  
For the first time in his life, Ranma felt nothing but anger at the appearance of a cat. He and Akane had been having a very peaceful day together, having not had any fights in several days. They had decided that mornign to take the chance and go to a movie together. They'd both agreed that it was by not means a date. They were simply two people, going to the same movie, at the same time, sitting together and each paying half. Just because they were planning on going to a restaurant to eat afterwards, and were dressing a little nicer than they usually did, didn't mean this was a date. To further stress how not date like it was, Ranma had gone as a girl.  
  
Everything had gone well until, midway through the movie, Shampoo had come running through the doors, chased oddly enough by a laughing Kodachi. The two had proceeded to fight their way to the front of the theater, chasing the movie goers who'd paid to see the most recent blockbuster import out into the street. Ranma and Akane had tried to join the fleeing throng anonymously, but some fool had dropped their ice loaded pop onto the floor, and Ranma slipped and fell.  
  
Sure enough, though the sound was miniscule compared to the damage caused by the fighting females, they'd both heard and recognized the voice. Shampoo had easily distracted a gloating Kodachi with an uppercut through the screen and the cement wall behind it before glomping Ranma and hurling insults at Akane. She'd chosen a good time to insult her, for Akane's dress, a rather modest affair that had once belonged to her mother was stained and ripped. Much of the damage had been caused by Kodachi's ribbon and Shampoo's hair ornament throwing knives.  
  
Her taunting incited Akane's rage to a never before felt height. For the first time, her aura flared into the visible spectrum as she shook with anger. She held herself as still as her trembling form allowed, while the Chinese girl continued to taunt her and berate her, making fun of her going to the movies with Ranma's girl half, despite the fact that she herself was currently doing a very fair immitation of sexual assault on said girl.  
  
Nothing would likely have come of the incident until the Amazon started laughing at the style of dress.  
  
"Where violent girl get too too silly old dress? Greedy sister not let have money buy new? Must steal from old women's garbage to get clothes to wear? How stupid violent girl expect seduce Shampoo husband dressing stupid like that?"  
  
Akane screamed and her aura flared bright enought to cause Shampoo to cover her eyes and Ranma to slip out of her grip. "HOW DARE YOU YOU CHINESE TRAMP!!! THIS WAS MY MOTHER'S FAVORITE DRESS! AND YOU RUINED IT! DIE!!!!!" Akane reached behind her and pulled out the largest mallet she'd ever grabbed and slammed Shampoo with a blow that would have sent a fully loaded freighter soaring into the horizon.  
  
Luckily for her, Shampoo was quick enough to dodge most of the blow. The mallet head missed her completely, but the wind vortex creating by it's rapid passage through the air was still strong enough to lift her from her feet and throw her the forty feet through the air to slam into the wall next to the Kodachi shaped hole. Being of Amazon stock, and training in ancient arts, the impact barely fazed the girl, who rushed forward, hands reaching out like claws to tear into her most hated rival.  
  
Before she closed even half the distance, a splash of cold soda hit her, transforming her into the purple and white kitten that was her cursed form. A small hand grabbed her out of the air and she found herself staring into the eyes of her airen's female form. There was a look in those eyes that she had never seen before, and for the first time, Shampoo could understand why so many people were afraid of Ranma. There was something in those eyes, deep and mean and angry, that caused her to try and shake herself loose.  
  
"That is enough!" Ranma stated grimly. His female voice was a little too high to really put much irritation or force behind the words, but the sheer lack of volume in her voice was able to cut through the rage roaring inside Akane's head and she blinked, taking in the sight of Ranma holding the feline Shampoo and not quivering in fear.  
  
"You've gone too far this time Shampoo! How dare you say those things to Akane! How dare you follow us today, hiding in the shadows." The small powerful hand shook the kitten, who tried to hiss a protest. "Don't bother denying it, Shampoo. You think I wouldn't be able to feel you lurking in the background all day? Watching and waiting to interupt us, if something happened? I would think that after what happened with Saffron you would know better. You can't hide from me, Shampoo. I can feel you coming miles away. I've let you glomp, grope, and harrass me for the last time. I've had enough. This was the last straw." The arm connected to the hand reared back and THREW the kitten away. "If you ever, ever try anything like this again, I will hurt you Shampoo. If you so much as throw Akane a dirty look, I will hurt you. You mean nothing to me, Shampoo, and you can burn your laws for all I can.  
  
You can stay in Japan if you want, but I will NEVER, NEVER marry you. Tell the old ghoul that if she has a problem with that, or if she thinks of hurting Akane, I'll make what I did to Saffron look like a child's first steps to what I'll do to you and your village. I'll make it my life's goal to wipe out any and all traces of your so called glorious people. I love Akane, and I belong to her. Not you, not Ukyo, and sure as hell not Kodachi."  
  
Shampoo tried to approach, but a hiss forced it's way from Ranma's throat and her stance shifted slightly. Shampoo stared in shock as she felt the sudden presence off another feline and gulped in fear, as she recognized the aura of the nekoken.  
  
"Go way, dogbitch!" Ranma hissed, anger and hate coloring the oddly accented voice. "We've made our choice. Go back to the ghoul and leave us and our mate along. If you come near us again, I will kill you and give what's left of your carcass to duckboy to play with. I'm sure that he would enjoy amusing himself with your remains."  
  
Shampoo took another step forward as anger surged within her, but another hiss, a swipe of invisible claws tearing a set of four twenty foot long, three foot deep trenches wider than her current body forced her to stop. She watched as Ranma made to come after her, and was relieved when Akane laid a restraining hand on the girl's shoulder.  
  
Shampoo colapsed in fear and sorrow as Akane gently guided the hissing girl out of the ruined theater. How was she ever going to explain to her grandmother that Ranma had completely and totaly rejected her. That he had threatened not only herself, but the lives of the entire village if they did anything to harm the Tendo girl? With a kitty sigh, she slowly struggled to her feet and scampered as only a cat could out of the theater, tears streaking down her furry face. ******************************************************  
  
nekoRanma hissed and growled, pushing against the hand restraining her shoulder. She wanted desperately to escape her mate's grasp and to return to that cave and kill the filthy dogbitch. She'd had no right to insult nekoRanma's mate like that. The special fur her mate was wearing had once belonged to her mother, and nekoRanma knew now much her mate loved and missed her parent. She herself hardly knew hers, after she'd been stolen away in the middle of the night by her greedygut of a sire. The fur had great value to her mate, because it was a tie to the woman who birthed her and Ranma felt it had looked wonderfull on her.  
  
Letting go her her anger at the moment, but vowing to herself to follow through on her threats in the near future, she turned a sad face to her mate, expecting to see tears and sorrow on the gentle, lovely features. Instead that was a somewhat bewildered expression, as though her mate couldn't understand what was happening.  
  
"Ranma, did you really mean all that? You don't want anything to do with that tramp again? You. .. you really love me? You don't want anything to do with any of the others?" Akane asked, not knowing if Ranma could understand her. The whole thing was odd. Ranma was acting like he was in the nekoken, yet there had been no fear in his bearing, just a deep anger.  
  
nekoRanma grinned and purred at her mate. She rubbed her cheek against her mate's belly, enjoying the scent of her mate's exertions. She paused for a moment, trying to think. Her mate was still using those human words, but she could understand them now. Her mind blanked for a moment. She couldn't remember any fear. Her human self had become angry. She and their mate were on a 'notdate', a human courting ritual, like when she stroped her mate or her mate stroked her belly, and then crazyflower and purplefur had interupted them.  
  
Purplefur had quickly dispatched crazyflower, but she'd then started to grope and force herself on her human self. While doing this, she'd started insulting her mate, who had remained unusually passive until the dogbitch had started insulting her mate's furs, which once belonged to her mate's mother. Her mate had finally reacted, showing her displeasure at the dogbitch. Her human self's anger had spiked and for the first time, nekoRanma had been able to join totally with her human self and she'd been able to tell the dogbitch in human words what she thought of her.  
  
She realized that she could still understand the words her mate was saying. She'd never understood them before. She didn't know why she could now, but she was sort of glad she could. Even if she couldn't make those sounds herself, at least now, she'd know what her mate was asking without having to guess. Though, she realized that there were a few problems with understanding what some of the idiots would be saying, she would be glad to understand her mate's requests.  
  
Akane smiled. She didn't know why, but apparently, nekoRanma could now understand her. She stroked the readhead's shoulder and upper back. She found it strangely soothing and could feel her anger slowly bleeding away. She was still angry about the dress, but Ranma's words were almost worth the painfully high price it cost to hear him confess his love for her.  
  
The pair made their way slowly to a park not far from home. Akane sat on the bench and nekoRanma crawled up into her lap, nuzzling her neck and hair. Akane stared ahead, blushing at the intimacy of the moment. Eventually, nekoRanma settled down and placed her head on her hands, curled as only a cat could get, and went to sleep, pleased to have made her mate happy after the events of the theater.  
  
Before she nodded off, nekoRanma felt her mate lean forward and felt soft lips press against the back of her neck. A delicious fire filled her small body and she shivered happily, purring loudly to show her mate her pleasure.  
  
That fire nearly errupted into an inferno as she heard her mate whisper into her ear. Unfortunately, she was too tired to do anything about it at the moment.  
  
"I love you too, Ranma." 


	7. Neko 7

I had a request to do a lemon story: This isn't it. If I get a few more, I might do a lemon Neko Ranma story or two. But no more than three. Or maybe 4. Ok, you've talked me into it: 5. But that's it. 6 and not a single story more. (I'm just kidding. I won't limit myself like that. ) I'll go where my filthy, disgustingly twisted mind takes me. Enjoy!  
  
Oh, by the way.....  
  
This isn't a lemon, it's just a normal story. Sorry to tease those who want a lemon, but I am working on a couple, on for Ranma-kun and Akane and another for Ranma-chan and Akane.  
  
I am willing to take requests for specific interactions with other characters, so if there's something you want to see, just email me at :  
  
shall-iin@mindless.com  
  
Oh, again. I hereby claim complete and total lack of ownership towards the characters, settings and names of events used in this story. I own nothing accept the idea of putting said characters into those situations I have created for them.  
  
Here's a list of nicks I'll use for some characters(some have multiple):  
  
Tatewaki Kuno=stickfool/boy Kodaichi Kuno=crazyflower Kasumi Tendo=Provider(always capitalized to show his respect) Cologne=ghoul/troll Happosai=oldfreak Mouse=blindduck/duckboy Shampoo=purplefur Ukyo Kuonji=? (flatstick cook or girlboy) Konatsu Kenzan=boygirl Ryoga Hibiki=pigidiot Nabiki Tendo=greedygirl/trickster Genma Saotome=pandaoyaji/greedygut Nodaka=mother/ Akane Tendo=mate/brightsmile/ Soun Tendo=weteyes Tofu Ono=Healer  
  
I'll make up more for some of the minor characters when I think of them. Collectively, nekoRanma will refer to his suitors as dogbitches. The fathers are sillysires. ************************************************************************  
  
Ranma grinned as he dodged the chains sent at him by Mousse. He hadn't seen the Chinese boy in a few weeks and was starting to miss the fights. Of all the people after him, Mousse was the one he had the most trouble fighting. Ryoga was a stronger fighter, but he wasn't quite as skilled in the basics as the Amazon youth. Ryoga was all about straight on power. Like Kuno, he came straight at you and rarely changed his approach. Every fight with the lost boy was pretty much the same.  
  
But with Mousse and his hidden weapons trick, every fight took on a different feel. You could never tell what the blind martial artist was going to pull out of his sleeves. Sure, like Ryoga, he had a few things he used all the time, like these chains and a double handfull of swords, but he also changed his attacks and added new weapons. He was no where near the strength of Ryoga, or himself, but he was a near match for pure form and much faster than the bulky Ryoga.  
  
He ducked as Mousse suddenly dropped the chains and swiped at him with a broadaxe. The axe head struck the wooden wall of the building behind him and stuck. Mousse wasted a few seconds tugging on it, and Ranma took the opportunity to strike the taller boy with a short Chesnut Fist, throwing 25 punches in the blink of an eye. He had to constantly remind himself during these fights to lower his strength and speed to Mousse's level, since the Amazon was not a walking tank like Ryoga, or a monster like Taro or Haabu.  
  
He shivered at the thought of the Musk prince, both repulsed and strangely attracted to the other boy. He'd denied the mental affects of Jhusenkyo for so long, he believed it himself. He would never admit to himself that he'd been attracted to Haabu's girl form, since he saw that as a betrayal of Akane, and he would prefer to marry Kodaichi and Shampoo before admitting that he'd found Haabu's male form just as attractive.  
  
Shaking his head, he turned back to the fight at hand jus tin time to block a strike of a quarterstaff and dodge a flurry of throwing darts. He didn't notice, though Mousse had, that the darts shattered the window he was now standing in front of. He did notice the horrible sounds of his second greatest fear and froze in place, allowing Mousse to hit him and send him flying into the building they were fighting in front of. Ranma had simply been strolling along, thinking about his favorite subject: Akane, and hadn't noticed that he was in front of the largest pet store in Nerima, a place that was mainly devoted to creatures of the feline persuasion.  
  
Mousse, however, had chosen his battle plan well in advance, having smelled and heard the place while trailing his rival. He might be blind, but he had a sense of hearing and of smell that would rival a bloodhound. This is were he'd made his mistake, a mistake all of Ranma's enemies made. None of them could believe that Ranma was as good as he claimed and always overestimated their own skills while passing his off as mere luck or chance. What they never acknowledged, despite the evidence of their own eyes from his battles against such terrible enemies like Haabu and especially Saffron, was that he generally had to hold back a vast portion of his skill and power when fighting them.  
  
He'd seen first hand what Ranma was capable of when in the nekoken, and he still harboured the belief that Ranma was nothing but a braggart who was no match for his own superior skill. He also ignored the strength of the nekoken. He chose to believe that the exposure to the felines inhabiting the "Pretty Kitty Cathouse" would do what he'd just witnessed: Cause Ranma to freeze in terror and be unable to fight back. What actually happened was it sent Ranma into the nekoken.  
  
Luckily for him, Ranma was soon distracted by a familiar smell and stopped clawing him into pieces before any serious damage was done.  
  
****************************************************  
  
nekoRanma awoke to anger and fear. This was far from unusual since it was these two emotions that his human self had the least control over. As his eyes opened and he looked around, he spotted several quivering masses of fur that his sense of smell could tell were felines. He growled a little at the other cats, reminding them that he was the biggest tom and that they'd better stay out of his way. His sense of smell also picked up the familliar, if rather annoying scent, of duck, herbs, and lye soap. This of course could only mean that his human self had been fighting blindduck, and that the fool had somehow managed to knock him into this den with all the other cats and other beasts in here.  
  
Quickly twisting to his four paws, he strode forward, hissing in anger all the while. Blindduck was rarely far from purplefur and there was no scent of the dogbitch anywhere nearby. Even the scent that always clung to blindduck was stale and old. That could only mean that blindduck had been following his human self and had attacked him outside this den with the purpose of sending him into the foul smelling building. Which meant the fool thought he could stand up to nekoRanma.  
  
nekoRanma snorted at the thought. While he was really no more powerful than his human self, he didn't hold his human self's reluctance to use that power. nekoRanma knew to the depths of his soul, that during a fight it was kill or be killed. You either killed to eat, or died and were eaten. His human self was strangely reluctant to kill his rivals. If nekoRanma had been able to overcome his human self's will for a few moments, he'd destroy the foolish lot who constantly interfered with him and his chosen mate.  
  
But unfortunately, nekoRanma didn't have the ability to overcome that reluctance to kill. That didn't mean he couldn't harm the fools more than his human self would do. Unlike his human self, he didn't care if the fools saw how powerful he trully was and were scared away. In fact, that would be a wonderful thing, in his mind. If they saw his true power, they'd finally know that they had no chance of defeating him or in taking his mate from him. He could tell that his mate suspected his true power, as did the troll, the freak, and the sillysires. Sometimes, Provider seemed to sense his true abilities, though it was more difficult to tell what she was feeling than the others.  
  
She had such tight control over her emotions, it was difficult to tell what she was thinking. The only lapse in control was when she was near Healer. The scent of their combined pheromones when they were near each other was almost enough to drive nekoRanma insane with lust for his mate. It was a good thing for them both that he was rarely near the pair in this form, usually being his human self when suffering wounds requireing Healer's help.  
  
Quickly targetting duckboy, he leapt, slicing the many weapons his rival launched towards him. Ducking a sweep of a foot, he reared up on his hindlegs and sliced up the middle of his enemies volumous robes. The sound of metal and wood striking the hard packed ground ran for sometime, distracting nekoRanma from his intent to slightly dismember his enemy. Instead, he took his rage out on the four foot high mass of wood and metal, attacking with his claws and leaving no single piece larger than the smallest of the pink wrigglies that were attached to his mate's feet.  
  
This took mere seconds, during which duckboy had started to back way. He shouldn't have moved, since the motion attracted nekoRanma's attention.  
  
Snarling, nekoRanma leapt onto the fool and started slicing away pieces of the false fur he was wearing. He took his time, enjoying the scent of fear and panic that permiated the air. He sliced a little lower on his enemies body and was rewarded with a sharp, pungent odor. Roaring in his enemies face to announce his victory, he paused in his attack. His sharp ears and sharper nose detected a scent and a sound he knew better than his own. His ears could hear the distinct sound of his mate's heart, and his nose twitched at scenting both her favorite flower scents she sprayed on herself, and that distinct, individual scent he knew was her own.  
  
Crying out in joy, he took a final moment to throw some dirt onto duckboy, before leaping off to track his mate. She was nearby, probably just over these human dens and on the next path in the human constructed foirest of stone and dead wood. He bit off part of blindduck's falsefur to carry to his mate as proof of his victory over one of their suitor/rivals. 


	8. Neko 8

I am still not planning on doing it as a series of continous story lines. Just keeping it as short little snapshots into nekoRanma's life. I am willing to take requests for specific interactions with other characters, so if there's something you want to see, just email me at :  
  
shall-iin@mindless.com  
  
Oh, again. I hereby claim complete and total lack of ownership towards the characters, settings and names of events used in this story. I own nothing accept the idea of putting said characters into those situations I have created for them.  
  
Though I am writting lemon nekoRanma stories, I am unsure if I will post them on FF.net. I don't want to break the no NC17 thing they have now, and when I do a lemon, it's NC 30. So please, let me know if there's a place you, the readers, would like me to post the stories where I could put some lemon stories. I also am writting a lemon series of Ranma stories different from other stories I am doing.  
  
Anyhow, here's the next story. *********************************************************  
  
The shorthaired girl grinned as she watched the sometimes unwanted houseguests sparing in the yard. She would never admit it to anyone, but she was fasciniated witht the awesome displays of skills the Saotomes performed each day, sometimes even several times a day.  
  
She chuckled as the sneaky elder tripped up the younger adn sent him splashing into the pool. Instantly, the blackhaired boy was transformed into a redhaired girl. The elder took a moment to throw back his head and laugh at the girl, taunting her for loosing focus. While she couldn't hear the conversation from the window, she'd seen enough of these battles that she could almost match it word for word in her mind. Of course, the fat man's distraction over his own gloating allowed the girl to splash him with a wave of water, transforming the fat man into a huge panda. Strangely enough, except for the fur, there wasn't really that much difference between the two forms.  
  
She watched as the redhead leapt out of the pond and double kicked the panda's round gut. The panda grunted and started chasing the girl around the yard. Now it was the girl's turn to taunt the panda.  
  
With a sigh, she turned away from the window. She'd seen this too much to be interested anymore. With any luck, the two would chase each other for a few hours and she'd be able to do her homework.  
  
She worked on the class assignments with half of her mind, the other half thinking of the pair fighting outside. She was far from tolerant of the greedy fat bastard by the name of Saotome Genma, but she'd grown rather fond of the younger Saotome, though she did her best to hide it. It wouldn't do for her father to overreact to something she said or did in a friendly manner. As much as she liked the boy, she wasn't really interested in marrying him.  
  
A sudden crashing snapped her mind into focus. She turned to stare at the purple haired girl who had just smashed her way through the wall into the room. The girl was wearing a soft silk pansuit, in her usual pink and white flower pattern, and carrying a sword that was nearly the same size as her body. Her eyes had a feverish quality to them that she'd never seen before. Her hair was disheveled and her skin flushed and sweaty.  
  
She stood from the chair and slowly backed towards the door into the hall, trying to avoid getting the other girl's attention.  
  
Unfortunately, she bumped the wastebasket by the desk, causing the Amazon to whirl from her staring contest with the empty bed to face her. A look of rage appeared on the Amazon's face and she snarled and hissed at her in a manner exceedingly similar to her cursed for.  
  
The sword swung back, gouging through the roof with the ease of a plasma cutter through melted butter. "Obstacles is for killing!" she snarled in her pidgin Japanese. "Shampoo no hold back no more! She tired of smelly Japan and stupid gwailo Japanese. She take husband even if he no want and go home to village. DIE!" she roared, starting to swing the massive blade that belonged in a samurai anime.  
  
The shorthaired schoolgirl squeaked and turned to race for the door. Luckily, she tripped over a misplaced wait and fell to all fours just as the blade sliced through the air where her neck had been. She gulped and started racing on her hands and knees to escape. Just as she reached the doorway, she heard a shriek of rage from behind her and risked a glance over her shoulder.  
  
She heaved a sigh as she saw that Ranma had heard the commotion and leapt into the room through the new entrance. She could see that he was holding both of the chinese girl's wrists with one hand, keeping her from finishing a final stroke. Deciding that it was better to run now and thank him latter, she scurried out of the room and raced down the stairs, looking for her sisters.  
  
As she reached the bottom floor and passed the furoba, her anger caught up to her fear. She paused, allowing her mind to concentrate on the problem. A possible solution came to her mind and she dashed into the furoba, filling a wash bucket into the cold water from the tap near where her eldest sister was currently soaking, causing the modest girl to blush faintly and utter a faint 'Oh my' as she ran out, leaving the door open in her haste to return.  
  
She shrugged, figuring she'd appologize to her 'neechan later, after she'd dealt with the bitch who'd invaded her home.  
  
As she neared the room with the little duck on the door, she could hear sounds of fighting inside and slowed, risking a peek around the door frame before rushing in.  
  
She was surprised to see that Shampoo had gotten loose and that she was now fighting Ranma. She'd seen Shampoo fight nearly as often as Ranma, and was very aware of the girl's skill. She could tell that the girl was holding nothing back and judging from the holes in the walls and floor and the facts that all the furniture was destroyed, she could also tell that Ranma was having a somewhat difficult time with her.  
  
She knew, of course, that as skilled as the other girl was, Ranma was much better. But she also knew that Ranma was also incredible resistant to the idea of actually striking a girl, though Shampoo seemed a little bruised, giving evidence that Ranma was hitting her. This was a great difference from his usual avoidance though he was obviously hindering himself greatly.  
  
Taking a moment to judge the trajectory, she launched the water, hoping to splash both of them.  
  
It was at this point that she remembered a little fact she'd forgotten: Shampoo's curse.  
  
As the small kitten struggled to get out of the mound of cloth and Ranma cowered in the corner, only one thought went through her head.  
  
"Oh shit!" ********************************************************* COMMERCIAL BREAK  
  
Just a little break in this story as a pause.  
  
How is this one compared to the others? Shampoo's finally snapped. I was thinking of trying a Ukyo one next. Any request for the other characters? Don't worry, Cologne will be soon, as will the return of Happy.  
  
Everyone done with their 'commercials' (hint, hint, nudge, nudge, why have commercial breaks unless you use them for something, huh0)? Then let's get on with it. I hope you enjoy the rest.  
  
*********************************************************  
  
nekoRanma shook her head as her mind cleared itself of the fear that had awoken her. She rose to her four legs, trembling in anger. She could smell the foul stench of dogbitch polluting her mate's private den. The scent infuriated her. She'd thought the dogbitches would know better than to invade her mate's territory again after the last time she'd thrashed them. Taking a deeper breath, she could scent only the disgusting odor of purplefur.  
  
Snarling she cast her gaze over the wreck of her mate's den. She soon found the false furs of purplefur and could see the shape struggling within them to escape.  
  
Hissing and meowing at the dogbitch contained inside the skins, she stalked forward and gripped the tasteless stuff in her mouth. She spun in place, launching the furs, with the unwelcome intruder still inside, out of the large hole in the wall of her mate's den. With a glance at the girl peeking around the corner, she leaped after the dogbitch, deciding to cut off those annoying bells she wore tied into her fur.  
  
As she landed easily on the furs, she noted that her rival/suitor had escaped and was currently hissing back at her, back arched and small claws extended.  
  
The two cats would have leapt for each other, but a blur of air separated them.  
  
nekoRanma turned to face the new threat, feeling strange. It was like she was slowly falling asleep. Once this though crossed her mind, she started to feel the pain of several sharp strikes to her form and collapsed on herself, struggling to remain on her feet. She hissed for she could now smell the decrepit, ancient odor that could only belong to the ghoul or the freak. The scent, and the way she could almost feel herself falling into sleep could only mean that it was the ghoul, for the freak would have removed her false furs instead of striking her.  
  
As her legs gave out on her, she could just see the ghoul's small form, restraining the similarly injured form of purplefur. Before sleep could fully claim her, she heard the ghoul call something out to the girl peeking on them from the window. Unfortunately the words were in the human sounds she couldn't understand. She heard the girl reply, and watched, her eyes slowly closing as the ghoul shook her hated foe and bounded out of her territory, leaving nekoRanma to fall into sleep in the middle of her territory.  
  
Just as sleep claimed her, nekoRanma gave a gentle purr. She'd successfully chased off her mate's rival, once again saving their den and family. ********************************************************* COMMERCIAL BREAK 2  
  
Still enjoying this? I hope so. This one is different from my others. I'm using these short oneshot style stories to work on flexing my writting muscles.  
  
Dont' worry, this one still has just a bit to write. I hope the end is a bit of a surprise. *********************************************************  
  
The short haired girl made her way down stairs, again stopping at the furoba. This time, she filled the bucket with warm water from the now empty tub. As she exitted the room, she noted the sounds of her elder sister looking into the wreak of the room/ battleground where she'd so recently come close to joinging their beloved mother.  
  
She made her way outside, thanking the kami that she was still in one piece. She paused as she looked down upon the female form of the frequently attacked housemate. Sometimes, the boy turned girl was more trouble than he was worth. He had all kinds of super powered martial artists, mages, warriors, and other supposedly mythological beings chasing after him and his idiot father. That's not to ser her life was much calmer before he arrived, just that the people involved in his life were much more powerful than the fools that had bothered her and her family before he came.  
  
With a sigh, she poured the hot water onto the girl, watching with delight as the attractive female form gave way to the much more attractive(at least in her mind, she sometimes wondered about the boy's other so called fiancee's) male form. Though the shock of being splashed with water would usually wake the boy, she knew that since he didn't immediately shoot up and look around with that adorable confused expression on his face, that Cologne must have hit his sleep points. From previous exposure, she guess that Ranma would sleep for several hours.  
  
"Imoutochan, did you see the damage yet?" her sister's voice called out from the destroyed room.  
  
Sighing yet again, she turned to look up at the older girl. "Yes, oneechan. I was doing my homework at the desk when Shampoo crashed through the wall again. She was out for blood this time. If it wasn't for Ranma, I'm pretty sure she would have killed all of us." 'Of course, if it wasn't for Ranma, she'd have no reason to come after any of us in the first place but still, I can't blame her. The guy's a total baka, but he's a complete hunk and freaking martial arts phenom. There's almost nothing he can't do or learn to do when it comes to martial arts.'  
  
Kasumi sighed while looking from the wreck of her sister's room to her sister standing outside. "Oh my. I hope Cologne san is able to talk some sense into her, I'd hate to have anything happen to anyone. She's usually a sweet girl."  
  
Shaking her head at her sister's obliviousness, she turned to face the dojo. "Hey, Uncle, it's safe now. Cologne took Shampoo away. Why don't you make yourself usefull for once and bring Ranma up to your room."  
  
A wooden sign came flashing out of the door. It was badly scrawled and nearly inlegible. "Are you sure that she's gone? Why should I drag that ungrateful son of mine anywhere?"  
  
"Because if you don't, I'll tell Auntie about how cowardly you were today, leaving her precious son to fight Shampoo while you cowered in the dojo." she stated with a smirk.  
  
The panda came out of the dojo, sulking as only a disgruntled panda could. It crouched to pick up the inate form of his son and tossed him carelessly over his shoulder, grapping the kettle from the table near the door and transforming to his human self.  
  
With a look around the yard to scan for any other potential threats, the shorthaired girl made her way back up to the destroyed room. She entered carefully, not wanting to step on any of the large splinters, nails, and other debris covering the floor. She reached out and picked up a stuffed piglet that had it's foam guts spilling from a large tear in the stomach.  
  
With a final deep sigh, she dropped the piglet and left the room. Walking down the hall, she entered a different room.  
  
"It's going to be expensive to fix this, but I'm glad it's not my room." Nabiki Tendo thought as she collapsed bonelesly on her bed and fell into a deep sleep, not even waking at the shriek of shock and outrage from her younger sister as she saw the damage done to her room. ********************************************************* AN:  
  
I hope I surprised a few people with the end. I know some of you must have thought the girl was akane, when it was nabiki in akane's room.  
  
I've tried stuff like this before, with not mentioning the name of the character events were happening to until the end, but I never felt I had it right. I hope this was at least somewhat of a surprise and that not everyone guessed it was nabiki from the start.  
  
Anyway, I am writting the lemons, one for Ranmakun, another for Ranmachan. As I had mentioned at the start, when I do a lemon, I don't do half measures. While I have no problems doing sexual scenes, I feel that a lemon would be different than having a romantic scene. Really, the first neko's mate story could be considered a lime story, since it has a 'happy' ranma being stroked by akane.  
  
For a lemon neko's mate story, I don't think I would do half measures. I would make it extremely explicit-as explicit as I could. I will also do some more limish ones, but I don't know about posting a full lemon on ff.net since they don't want nc17 stories. 


	9. Neko 9

I am still not planning on doing it as a series of continous story lines. Just keeping it as short little snapshots into nekoRanma's life. I am willing to take requests for specific interactions with other characters and give permission should any one wish to write a Neko's Mate story. So if there's something you want to see, just email me at :  
  
shall-iin@mindless.com  
  
Oh, again. I hereby claim complete and total lack of ownership towards the characters, settings and names of events used in this story. I own nothing accept the idea of putting said characters into those situations I have created for them.  
  
I will be posting any lemons stories I happen to write, including the neko's mate lemons at :  
  
mediaminer.org  
  
Under the Title of Neko's Mate. Should have them up soon. Thanks to everyone who wrote and mentioned the places could post them.  
  
And thanks to those who've expressed interest in possibly drawing parts of my stories. I just wish I was able to draw myself, so I wouldn't have to bother anyone else with doing it for me.  
  
For those who were wondering: Nabiki was studying in Akane's room so she could sneak peeks at Ranma and Genma sparring in the yard. Her room faces the other way into the street.  
  
Shampoo was so far gone in rage she saw a short haired girl in Akane's room and just assumed that it was Akane. (if that isn't enough, she's drugged and ill; she was feverish, remember?)  
  
The following is the most explicit I will get on fanfiction.net. Call it Lime with a Lemony Twist.  
  
***************************************************************  
  
Akane sighed as she watched Ranma bounce around the yard. He'd been acting strangely for a few days now whenever he slipped into the nekoken. She noticed that he was slipping into it more easily lately and wondered why. She wondered if it had anything to do with the way they were getting along better recently or if he was slowly loosing his mind. It took months of being in Nerima before he slipped into the nekoken, and now, he was going into it at about once a month.  
  
She wondered what could be causing Ranma's slip. He didn't seem to get quite as scared around cats as he'd done the first few times it had happened. It just didn't take as much for the neko side of himself to slip out and take control. She'd only noticed when she witnessed him change because Kuno threw him into a small room with pictures and a TV of cats playing and hunting. Before then, he'd only ever changed when he hadn't been able to get away from an actual cat. Now it seemed like a few photos or images of a cat on TV were enough to change him.  
  
She was pretty sure that this time, he'd changed because of a catfood commercial that came on while they were watching a repeat episode of 'Takeshi's Castle'. (an: for american and canadian reader's, this is the actual program that the SpikeTV show 'Most Extreme Elimination Challenge' gets it's inspiration and video feeds) It was a silly gameshow type program that always brought a chuckle to her lips as she watched people struggle to perform odd challenges such as walking a rope bridge while carrying a ball and having to dodge balls shot at you from an air cannon. Or her favorite, trying to break through four paper doors set up on four walls without picking wrong and slamming into the plywood construct.  
  
She giggled as Ranma spotted something in the bushes and dove into them, his face alight with happiness. The bushes rattle for a moment and Ranma came meekly out, carrying a little puppy in his teeth. She moued as he shook the crying puppy a little before he stilled and trotted over to her. She accepted the puppy from him, and gave it a few pats. It was a tiny thing, smaller than Pchan. It's fur was short and a golden brown color, with large black markings showing through.  
  
It whimpered in her arms and she lifted it up to examine it closer. It was only then that she noticed that it had several scratches and bite marks on it. She started to lose her anger towards Ranma as she took a look and saw that the scratches and teeth marks were too small to have been made by her currently insane fiancee. Oddly enough, she didn't mind when Ranma went neko, though everyone else were careful to stay out of his way. She knew that Ranma would never hurt her, and she knew that his neko self was the only way in which he would allow himself to show her how he felt. He loved her, she knew. And she loved him. Just because neither was ready to admit it to anyone else didn't make it any less true. They were still young and neither was really ready to be married, even if that was something they both wished for themselves, someday.  
  
"Oh you poor thing!" she exclaimed as her finger ran over one of the scratches. "What attacked you?" she asked, not really expecting an answer.  
  
Ranma nudged her side and she glanced down. He was looking at her with his big watery eyes, straining to get close to the puppy. She brought the puppy closer to him, and watched as his nose twitched and he breathed in deeply. She nearly dropped the little critter when he hissed loudly and leapt back. She watched as Ranma stared around the yard, seeking whatever had angered him.  
  
She was a little surprised at how angry he seemed. Even in the throes of the nekoken, Ranma rarely exhibited true anger. But now, it was rolling off him in waves she coudl feel from her seat on the porch. He was standing in the middle of the yard, his entire body tense and poised to strike. His back was arched and he was bent as though preparing to pounce on his prey. She'd only ever seen him this angry once before.  
  
Her eyes narrowed as she remembered the cause of that anger and her gaze swept the yard of her home. She looked down at the puppy, craddling it to her gently. "It was that stupid Shampoo, wasn't it Dchan? She must have attacked you when she was in her cat form. That's what Ranma smells on you." She looked up at her fiancee, who was now stalking around the yard, stopping every few feet to sniff the air and search somewhere Shampoo could be hiding in her little kitty form.  
  
She called out to Ranma, who paused but didn't turn to her. Though she knew he probably didn't fully understand her words, she had to tell him. "Ranma, I'm going to go give Dchan a bath. Once he's clean, I'll get him a snack and put him in my room. You keep looking for that rotten Shampoo. She's probably hiding in the bushes or on the roof or something. Don't go too easy on her this time. She could have killed the poor little thing." She turned and walked into the house.  
  
Her father was the first to spot her. "What do you have their, Akane?"  
  
"It's a puppy, Daddy. Look, it's hurt. Shampoo attacked it and scratched it all up. It was hiding in the bushes. Ranma neko brought her to me. Can I keep her, please?" she pleaded with her father. Akane loved animals, and everyone knew it.  
  
Her father frowned at her. "I'm not sure Akane. What if the dog doesn't get along with Ranma? And besides you have a pet already, remember?"  
  
Akane giggled cutely, knowing her father's weakness for her happiness. "But Pchan doesn't really count daddy. He's always getting lost and Ranma's always picking on him. Besides, Ranma likes the puppy or he would never have brought her to me, he would have brought it to Kasumi or Auntie Nodaka. She won't be a problem. Ranma and I will take care of her. Besides, with her here, stray cats will stop wandering into the yard. Which means Ranma will be less likely to go into the nekoken, which means he's less likely to claw up you and Uncle Saotome."  
  
A hastily scrawled sign come flying from the other room to smack her father in the face. It fell to the ground with a thump. She held a smirk inside at the panda's messge.  
  
'Let her keep the dog!'  
  
She held her breath as her father looked over to his friend, who was currently hidding in the darkened sitting room.  
  
"Are you sure that's wise, Saotome? It's another mouth to feed and money is fairly tight at the moment, thanks to the problems you caused among your son's fiancees."  
  
Another sign came flying out of the room and Akane withheld a full blown laugh as she caught sight of Ranma's father. He'd been annyoing Ranma this morning after he'd gone into the nekoken, and Ranmaneko had gotten agnry. He'd shaved most of the fur off the giant panda, leaving his curse form nearly as bald as his human one. It wasn't an even shave either, with patches of full fur spotting his body amongst flashes of his panda forms pinkish skin.  
  
'That dog might be the key to finally joining our families! If my ingrate of a son and your daughter take care of it together, it can't fail but draw them closer to each other. Soon it will grow out of that cute phaze and they will want something else cute and wrinkly to cuddle. And what better for two people to cuddle than a little baby? They'll do what comes naturally and the families(and schools) will be joined.' Then in much smaller and neater writing, there was this: 'Not to mention getting Nodaka off my back for screwing up Ranma's life. If she had a grandchild to spoil, she'd leave me alone.'  
  
Akane shook her head at Genma's stupidity. He had totally forgotten that everyone else in the room could read those signs as easily as her father. Though inside she was jumping for joy, for she knew her father would go along with the stupid plan.  
  
Kasumi came over and fussed over the puppy, who seemed to enjoy all the attention it was getting from the two of them. Akane briefly wondered where the pup came from, but figured it didn't matter it was hers now.  
  
"Oh my, this is awful. And here I thought that Shampoo was a nice girl. How anyone could to this to such a sweet, helpless little thing. I must have a word with Cologne about this. Shampoo needs to be punished."  
  
Akane chuckled as she passed the wriggled bundle into her sister capable hand. "Oh, she will be, Kasumi. If Ranma finds her. She'd better hope I find her and bash her first, because Ranma looks angrier than I am about this."  
  
Kasumi shook her head, not eager to see an angry Ranma taking out his frustration on anything. "Why would she have done this though? She always seemed so nice."  
  
"She's probably mad at me for letting Ranma try to eat that drugged Ramen she made. How was she to know that Ranma would try to eat it first and find out that she'd mixed in all that stuff in it. I mean, look at it." she stated gesturing at the wall. The concoction that had splattered against the wall had immediately started smoking and burning through the wooden frame of the house. There was now a large hole in the wall which their father was currently smoothing out and evenning the edges in order to be able to frame it for a new window he'd been planning on adding to the wall. A figure in a HazMat suit was carefully scooping the still smouldering gunk off the floor and wall into a biohazard conainment unit "It's a good thing Ranma can eat anything, or he'd been dead. That stuff would have killed me, and Shampoo knows that. After Ranma stole it from me and spit it out and threw the bowl at the wall, she pulled her sword out to attack me, remember? Luckily, Nabiki was there to splash her with a class of water."  
  
The figure in the Hazmat suit turned as it finished it's unpleasant task. "Luck had nothing to do with it, dear sister." came a tiny, metalic echoing voice from the suit's built in speakers. "I always carrying some with me when Ranma's around, since I know one of his ...friends is bound to show up sooner or later."  
  
Akane raised an eyebrow at the statement. She thought about where her sister would hide something as bulky as a water bottle on herself with all the skimpy and barely there outfits she wore and shivered, deciding it was best she not think too deeply about it. "Thanks for cleaning up that stuff, Nabiki."  
  
A mechanical snort came through the tiny speaker. "Thanks nothing, imotochan. This stuff is gonna get me that full ride to any school of my choice. Do you have any idea how strong this stuff must be? If the chem boys at the company I contacted can reverse engineer the ingredients and dilute it to the proper amount, it will be the best household cleaning solution on the market. I could make millions. Those cheap cleaning products would be wiped out in weeks."  
  
Akane shook her head at the every present aura of greed in her sister.  
  
Kasumi was just returning with the puppy just as Ranma was bounding into the house and up to Akane, stropping against her legs. Akane giggled and patted her fiancee's shoulder, ignoring how every backed away from him as though he would attack at any second. Only Kasumi was brave enough to approach, handing her the now happily wriggling puppy. She thanked her sister and went up to her room, followed as always by Ranma, who had taken a moment to rub her sister as thanks before following her to her room.  
  
She set the puppy on the middle of her bed and pet it for a while until it gave a puppy yawn. She giggled at Ranma who was watching with his chin on her bed. She smiled as Ranma copied the puppy's yawn and burst into laughter as she herself yawned. She firmly pushed Ranma out her door, ignoring his attempts to get around her.  
  
"Ranma, you can come in later. Now get out and wait. I have to change." she finally was able to get Ranma outside long enough to close the door. She ignored his scratching as she changed out of her dress and into a set of yellow pj's. She finished dressing and went over to the door, opening it to allow a frantic Ranma to enter the room.  
  
She was tackled by the mass of solid muscle that was her fiancee as soon as the handle turned enought to allow the door to open. She fell onto her back, Ranma on top of her, his nose trailing over her body, seeking to see if she was injured. At least, that was what she assumed he was doing.  
  
While that might have been Ranma's original intent, his actions had another effect. Within moments of Ranma's pinning her and beginning his exam, she was wriggling beneath him helplessly as her body began to rock with laughter. Ranma's nose was running over her ticklish spots, and he'd quickly picked up that his actions were making her laugh and was now deliberately seeking out other ticklish spots.  
  
Her eyes widdened in shock and something else as his nose touched a rather sensitive part and her legs reflexively kicked out, sending Ranma flying across the room. He adjusted himself in flight to land on his feet, tilting his head to look at her in confusion as she scooted back against the edge of her bed. Her breath was ragged and twinges of something .. . excitement? Fear? Anticipation? rang through her body.  
  
"That enough of that, Ranma." she stated as she slowly regained control of her erratic breath. "It's time for bed now." Ranma seemed to understand for he stood, and she felt her face blush as she was again witness to how well suited her fiancee was to his name. She whimpered as he approached, not sure if it was driving out of her by fear or desire.  
  
He reached her and gave her cheek a lick before leaping into the bed and curling up next to the puppy. The little pup raised it's head and whined at Ranma, who huphed at it gently before lowering his head to rest on his arms. Akane watched as his eyes drooped closed before a thought struck her.  
  
"No Ranma." she stated, shoving the boy off the boy. She crawled under the covers, drawing them tight around herself as a shield against the feelings her fiancee's touch had raised in her.  
  
She sighed as Ranma leapt onto the bed and curled onto her feet. A memory of him doing to same thing last time he'd been in the nekoken came to her mind and she blushed. "Oh alright, you can sleep in the bed. But no perverted stuff or you'll wish you were Kuno."  
  
Ranma looked at her blankly before turning away with a huph. She felt him nead his fingers and toes into the mattress and her legs and wriggled her toes against his stomach. His head came up and he shifted on her legs, and she felt something hard pressed against the back of her leg. It rubbed there for a moment as he again neaded the mattress. Her face light up in a blush and she drew her legs up against her chest, her traitorous body tingling at the contact. Ranma gave her a cheeky smirk, and for a moment she wondered if he had returned to normal, but he simply began to purr and again settled down on the mattress. Within seconds she heard the faint sounds of his breath and knew he was asleep. She lay there in the dark, too afraid to move for fear of waking him and drawing his attention to her. Another part of her, however, was thrilled with the contact and wanted her to put her leg back and rub him back.  
  
She spent several hours in a light doze, both afraid and longing for Ranma to make a move to further his attentions. But her fiancee slept on, and soon she too succumbed to the exhaustion of the day's events. So secure was she, that she didn't notice Ranma's head pop up and whp around to peek at her.  
  
Nor did she notice as her fiancee stealthily slithered up on the bed to press up against her back and wrap himself around her slender form, nuzzling her short hair and licking her neck, sending pleasant shivers through her sleeping body.  
  
******************************************  
  
Ranma came to his senses feeling warm and comfortable. There was a pleasantly soft bundle huddled in his arms and he sleepily drew it closer, placing a kiss on top of the messy blue hair. Feeling a part of himself pressing against something soft and wriggling, he groaned at the pleasure sent along his nerves from that often neglected area of his life.  
  
Snapping awake, Ranma stared in horror down at the top of Akane's head. He didn't know how it had happened, but somehow, since he spit out that foul concoction of Shampoo's that she'd inttended for Akane, he'd ended up spending the night in bed with Akane. Slowly he closed his eyes, and shivered, enjoying the feel of his fiancee in his arms.  
  
He knew he was dead as soon as she woke, buty it was worth it for thechance to hold her in his arms just for once. The only real problem he had was the uncomfortably large reminder of how trully beautiful his fiancee was. He'd give anything to allow her to wake and not notice the reaction he was having to holding her so close. It was a foolish wish, but he held it anyway.  
  
He lay patiently, not wishing to hasten the end of his all too brief life when he noticed a small brown form rising from next tot the pillow. He stared as the shape moved and he recocknized it as belonging to some kind of puppy. He didn't know where the puppy was, but if it continued to move, Akane would awaken and he would be caught redhanded as the pervert she insisted he was.  
  
He tried gesturing at the puppy to stay still, but the little thing tilted his head and gave a tiny yip at his waving hand. The short tail wagged, and the puppy jumped for the hand, colliding with Akane's back and jolting her awake.  
  
Ranma stared into her eyes as they slowly opened. He saw the flash of anger in her eyes, before another expression he didn't recognize came over her. She shifted in his arms and he could distincly feel the moment she discovered his state.  
  
Her face went blank for a moment before her cheeks reddened and her eyes darkened. She carefully pulled away, almost rolling onto the puppy. She paused as she felt the wriggling form under her back and turned back the other way, turning herself away from Ranma. She swung her legs over the edge of the bed while lifting the puppy into her arms.  
  
"Are you all right, Dchan?" she asked her new pet.  
  
Ranma stared at her back, puzzled to find himself continuing to draw breath. He desperately wanted to ask why he was still alive, but didn't want to press his luck. He tried to sneak out of the bed, hoping to be able to get out of the room in one piece. He wasn't that lucky as Akane's voice froze him in place.  
  
"Where do you think you're going, Ranma?"  
  
"uh .. to get ready for school?" he replied hopefully.  
  
"Today's Sunday, baka. There's no school." Akane's voice snapped out. She threw a glare at him over her shoulder, eyes narrowing to slits as she noticed that part of him was now at eye level. "And for god's sake, cover that thing up before someone sees you!" she snarled, throwing a pillow over her shoulder.  
  
Ranma's hands grabbed the pillow and used it to hide his problem. His face matched the color of his favorite shirt as he looked on while Akane cooed to the puppy, which had started whining.  
  
"Uh. . . where'd you get the dog, Akane?"  
  
Akane threw another glare over her shoulder at him. "From you. After you stole that gunk from me and used it to melt the wall, Nabiki splashed Shampoo with some cold water and you went neko. She ran out and you started playing in the yard until something in the bushes caught your attention. You dove in after it and came out with this puppy, which was clawed up pretty badly. You sniffed it a bit and started growling, then stalking around the yard like you were hunting something. I guess from the size of the claw and teeth marks, that Shampoo must have attacked the dog after you chased her out. Kasumi cleaned it up and we came up to bed. You refused to leave me alone, and curled up at my feet." Her eyes narrowed as she studied him, still holding the pillow in front of himself.  
  
"What I want to know is why and how you managed to crawl up and rub up against me after I distinctly told you no perverted stuff."  
  
Ranma dropped the pillow as anger filled him. He pointed a finger at her as he replied. "I don't know nothin' about that and I ain't done nothin' perverted."  
  
Akane glared at him before slowly dragging her eyes down to his groin and back up to meet his. She cocked her eyebrow, as though daring him to say something.  
  
Ranma eeped as he watched her eyes travel down his body and he remembered why he'd been holding the pillow. With speed granted him by the Chestnut fist, he snatched the pillow and replaced it in front of himself, wishing his problem would subside, but knowing that it wouldn't so long as he was near Akane.  
  
Akane sighed and nodded towards the door. "Look, we'll talk later, okay? I have to get Dchan something to eat. You go to the washroom, and do whatever you need to, to get rid of that . .. that. ... Get rid of that." she stated while giving a faint wave at his groin.  
  
Blushing Ranma, slowly backed away from his fiancee's bed. He was still shocked that he was till alive. He opened the door and took a few steps out. As he turned, he heard Akane call out to him.  
  
He ducked his head back into the room. "Yes, Akane?"  
  
He didn't receive an answer as a second pillow slammed into his face, knocking him on his but. Dragging it off his face, he looked up at his fiancee who was now standing at her door.  
  
"Next time, ask me before you cuddle with me." she snarled at him before slamming the door in his face.  
  
Ranma muttered to himself about the weirdness of girls as he carefully made his way to the bathroom and a cold shower, desperately clutching the pillows to his body. For the first time, he was wishing he would be splashed with cold water. Walking down the hall like this was embarrassing.  
  
**************************************************** AN: Obligatory author's notes to beg for reviews  
  
For any potential artists, while there are many scenes I would like to have artwork of, could someone find time to possibly, if you don't mind, draw the scene with Ranma carrying the puppy? For clarity's sake, the dog is a German Shepard.  
  
If I can get enough interest, I might decide to set up a page of my own to post my stories and any artwork or stories that other's might wish to add.  
  
Email me at:  
  
shall-iin@mindless.com  
  
So what do you think? Interesting? Boring? Who cares? Feel free to let me know. 


	10. Neko 10

I am still not planning on doing it as a series of continous story lines. Just keeping it as short little snapshots into nekoRanma's life. I am willing to take requests for specific interactions with other characters, so if there's something you want to see, just email me at :  
  
shall-iin@mindless.com  
  
Oh, again. I hereby claim complete and total lack of ownership towards the characters, settings and names of events used in this story. I own nothing accept the idea of putting said characters into those situations I have created for them.  
  
I will be posting any lemons stories I happen to write, including the neko's mate lemons at :  
  
mediaminer .org  
  
Under the Title of Neko's Mate. Should have them up soon. Thanks to everyone who wrote and mentioned the places could post them.  
  
And thanks to those who've expressed interest in possibly drawing parts of my stories. I just wish I was able to draw myself, so I wouldn't have to bother anyone else with doing it for me.  
  
**************************************************************  
  
"Kasumi, I'm home!" Akane called out happily as she entered her home. She was in a good mood. Ranma hadn't bothered her all day, and the baka's stupid fiancee's had stayed away as well. Even Kuno had been absent, though no one really knew why. Rumor had it that his father had finally won out and chopped off Kuno's ridiculous hair.  
  
She removed her shoes and slid into her house slippers, humming a little under her breath. She made her way to the kitchen, waving absently to her father and Uncle Saotome who were playing another in their endless series of Go games. She had seen a dish in a recipe book she'd snuck a peek at during home-ec that she wished to try. It had been unusual for her to disobey the teacher, but really, baning her from the cooking portion of the class just because of a few measly 3 alarm fires and a couple of minor explosions! Ranma and his friends cost the school more on a daily basis in groundskeeper overtime alone.  
  
So they'd had to replace two walls, a dozen stoves, three industrial fridges, and repaint the entire floor. Honestly, it was a mistake. Whose idiotic idea was it to place the science lab next to the cooking class and have their supply rooms numbered as 6 and 9? It wasn't her fault that the 9 had become loose and swung down to look like a 6. How was she to know that substituting pure Na for the NaCl in the recipe would cause the room to blow up? They were both sodium, weren't they? That was what salt was, wasn't it?  
  
Shaking her head to clear it of unpleasant memories, she entered the kitchen and frowned at finding it empty. She checked the clock over the sink, and noted that it was about the time that Kasumi would usually be getting things ready for supper. Since the arrival of the Saotome's, Kasumi's job had been tripled. She now had to start cooking earlier, since the pair each ate as much in one sitting as all three Tendo's did in a full day. She would think her sister would be angered by all the extra work she had to do, and had often offered to help in the kitchen or doing the chores, butr Kasumi had gently refused the offer and suggested she concentrate on studying her schoolwork or on her martial arts.  
  
She was deciding on whether she should start making supper herself or wait for Kasumi to return when she noticed a note stuck on the fridge. Going over, she removed and read the obviously hastily scrawled message.  
  
'Akane,  
Do not worry about supper, imoutochan. I will have something delivered. Auntie called. She said there was a problem with Ranma and she needed my help. I will not be too long. Please do not worry about Ranma, I am sure he is fine. I will call later to let you know what happened and to let you know when to expect supper to arrive. Father and Uncle are playing go. If you'd like to prepare them a snack and let them know that supper will be arriving later, I would appreciate it.  
  
I love you, imouto.  
Kasumi'  
  
Akane reread the note, wondering what could possibly worry Auntie enough to call Kasumi for help yet not ask for her help. Shrugging, she opened the fridge and started pulling out a variety of presliced veggies and cheeses. She placed them on the counter and looked through the cupboards for a servingtray. She found it and started arranging the snack on the tray, all the while humming to herself. She prepared a pot of tea and added it to the tray.  
  
She brought the tray out and placed it on the table next to the fathers. She was not surprised in the slightest to hear them mutter thanks to Kasumi, as not once did they look up from their game. Deciding that she might as well put her good mood to use by working out in the dojo, she skipped up to her room and changed into a gi. As she made her way out towards the dojo, she remembered Kasumi's note, and rushed in to grab the portable handset for the phone. The kami knew that little would force the father's to abandon their endless game.  
  
She spent an enjoyable time working on her forms. Since Ranma's arrival into their lives, she rarely had the dojo to herself. She'd taken to doing her form work in her room, where she had at least a slight chance of privacy. She knew her forms well, and didn't want to give Ranma any more ammunition than he had to tease her with since she knew he would doubtlessly find flaws with her form. She hated the fact that she wasn't as good as Ranma and the people who'd followed him into her life. She knew that she was good, very good, far beyond what most would consider to be excellent, but among Ranma's crowd, excellent amounted to exactly squat. In order to be in their league, you had to be superior, almost supernatural.  
  
She was interupted in her thoughts by the ringing of the phone. This caused her to trip and crash into the mats. She swore and scrambled to the portable handset.  
  
"Moshi-Moshi?" she stated into the phone.  
  
"Akane chan, you need to get father and Uncle out of the house, right away." came the breathless voice of her eldest sister.  
  
"Nani?" Akane uttered at the near terror in her sister's voice. Kasumi was never so abrubt or authorative. "What's going on?"  
  
She heard Kasumi take a calming breath before she answered her questions. "Akane, I need you to get Father and Uncle Saotome, and get them out of the house. Send them to the bar or something. Auntie called me over here to help her with Ranma. He went into the nekoken today, and he started to behave very odd. Auntie didn't know what was happening, so she called me."  
  
"How odd is odd?" she asked, a quiver of worry in her voice. A nekoRanma gone insane would be very dangerous.  
  
"Er, it's hard to say, really. He started to be very agressive and sort of twitchy. Auntie had a delivery today, and Ranma attacked the deliveryman. We tried splashing him to bring him out of the nekoken, but he started to act even weirder. He was very affectionate towards Auntie and myself, yet he chased off Shampoo and Ukyo when they stopped by. He even slashed Shampoo and left several claw marks on her arm. She was bleeding, Akane. Ranma never makes other's bleed. Shampoo tried to shrug it off, but she looked terrified. She said she'd go to the Nekohauten to ask for Cologne's aid.  
  
We tried splashing Ranma with hot water, then cold, but nothing worked. He must have gotten fed up with it, since the last time Auntie tried splashing him with hot water, he destroyed the kettle and hissed at her. Than she mentioned trying to call you and Ranma's whole posture changed. He started purring loudly, and rubbing his . .. his .. . his bottom against the floor and against the couch. Then he gave a little yelp and ran out of the house. I'm pretty sure he's gone looking for you, Akane. I think . . . I think Ranma might be in heat. Auntie says he had told her that he had had periods before, and that his female form was due for one soon. That means she must be ovulating right now."  
  
Akane swallowed. "Are you sure, Kasumi?"  
  
There was a pause, then Kasumi's voice came back over the line, sounding sorrowful. "Yes, imoutochan. After the first time, Ranma went neko, I studied as much as I could find about cats. Like it or not, imouto, Ranma sees you as his mate. Just as you see him as the same. You love each other, imouto. No matter what you say, you do love him and he loves you. Right now, Ranma thinks he's a cat, and he's acting like a cat. He's gone looking for his mate, and when he finds you, it would not be a good idea for other men to be around. So get rid of father and Uncle as fast as you can. And imouto?"  
  
Gulping, Akane held the phone with a shaking hand. She wasn't sure if she was ready for what Kasumi was implying. "Yes, oneechan?"  
  
"Ranma is still female, and very, very frustrated right now. He'll be looking to mate, but neither of you has the equipment for what he wants right now. Be careful." Kasumi warned.  
  
Trembling, Akane said goodbye to her sister, slowly collapsing to her knees. A horny, female nekoRanma was out there somewhere looking for her. Not exactly something to inspire a sense of peace. Shaking out of her momentary panic, she leapt to her feet. She just needed to look at this another way. It wasn't that Ranma was out there stalking her in order to do perverted things with her, oh no. It was that Ranma needed her help, and only her help. She was the only one that could help him right now. And to do so, she had to get rid of their fathers.  
  
*************************************************  
  
nekoRanma cried out as she caught her mate's scent. She had been here not long before. Looking around for her, she didn't notice her anywhere nearby. Pouting and whining as only a cat could, she again swatted stickboy away. He'd been annoying her ever since she'd arrived at this communal den. She growled in his direction, but the fool was too stupid to hear her warning. Luckily for him, other's weren't as stupid.  
  
nekoRanma frowned, as stickboy seemed to disappear before her eyes. She started testing the winds to find his scent, and was distracted by the distinctive scent of oldghoul. She turned in a circle, trying to spot her enemy.  
  
A blow to her back caused her to howl in anger and spin, slashing out with her claws. They missed the target, digging long gouges into the dirt of the hard packed earth.  
  
The pair faced off, nekoRanma staring at the hated oldghoul who so often stymied her attempts at showing her mate how she felt. Growling, she leapt, flashing her claws at the shrunken figure. The figure barely dodged them, a thin tear appearing in the flowing false furs it wore to hide its hideous form. The figure lashed out with the long stick it used in place of it's now fallen claws.  
  
Snarling, nekoRanma slashed at the wooden stick, shredding it into mishappen slices. She prepared to pounce, her snarl greowing as she felt the frustration of the day coursing through her. All she'd wanted was to find her mate so that they could finally complete their mating dance, and here was oldghoul, keeping her from tracking her mate. Just like Mother and Provider, back at Mother's den. They'd tried to keep her there, away from her mate, and she'd nearly lashed out against them. Only her respect and love for them had kept them safe from her anger. She had, however gotten tired of the constant splashing and changing, and had destroyed the strange tool they'd used to transform her.  
  
Oldghoul took a look at her stance and seemed to come to an internal decision. Just as nekoRanma was preparing to finally end the shrunken little ghoul's existence, her form blurred and she disappeared. nekoRanma landed and roared in frustration again. First the oldghoul kept her from killing stickboy, then she tried keeping her from her mate again, and now she'd left in the middle of a fight. Next time, no playing. Oldghoul was going down. nekoRanma was tired of playing with her and with purplefur. They'd kept her and her mate apart for too long.  
  
The thought of being kept apart from her mate reminder her that she still had to find her mate. Again sniffing the air, she caught the freshest scent her mate had laid for her and started bounding happily in the direction. She realized after a moment that the scent was heading towards their den. Now, she didn't need to follow it, increasing her speed so that she was now nothing but a streak of red and black to those watching.  
  
She arrived at their den and slowed, approaching cautiously. She'd been interupted too often today to trust that someone else wouldn't try and keep her from finding her mate. As she neared their territory, she could smell the scent of males heading away from the den. Growling low in her throat, she stood straight and stalked forward, leaping over the wall and striding into the den. She could smell the lovely scent of her mate wafting down the stairs and took a moment to rub herself over the hated male scents on many of the surfaces in their home.  
  
She leapt the stairs, and ran to her mates door, finding it sealed. Mewing pityingly and scratching at the door, she waited for her mate to let her in. A noise from behind her distracted her, and she turned, somewhat surprised to see her mate standing on the stairs. Happy to have found her, she started loping towards her mate, who turned and ran down the stairs. nekoRanma paused, while tilting her head at her mate's strange actions. Realizing that her mate wanted her to follow, she let out a happy chirp and bounded to the stairs, taking them several at a time.  
  
She reached the bottom of the stairs just in time to see her mate smile at her and run into the cleaning room. Feeling her excitement mount, she purred loudly as she made her way to the door of the cleaning room and paused, looking inside. She couldn't see her mate, and the smells were too concentrated for her to make any specific ones out, but she knew her mate had to be inside since this was the only way to enter or leave this chamber.  
  
She entered cautiously, eyes roaming the various objects and spaces in the room. She reached the small fake pool and turned to look the other way, not seeing her mate. She was surprised as she felt two strong arms encircle her from behind and drag her into the warm water, mentally fuming as her mind snapped with the sudden change in form and her human self reasserted itself into control.  
  
---------------------------------------------  
  
Ranma sputtered and coughed he shot up out of the furo. Looking around wildly, he noticed Akane staring at him from the other side of small tub. "Akane? What's going on? What am I doing here? Last thing I remember, I was walking down the street with mom to her place."  
  
Seeing that her fiancee was back to normal, Akane gave a sigh of relief. It had been a gamble, leading Ranma into the furo. If the water hadn't snapped his mind back, she'd have had to try and deal with a nekoRanma who was male, ready, and more than willing to try and have his way with her. "Don't worry, Ranma. Everything is fine, now. But next time, try and avoid cats when your female form is ovulating, ok?"  
  
Ranma blushed and nodded, not really understanding, but realizing that this time, it might be best not to understand. 


	11. Neko 11

Here is the long awaited continuation of Neko's Mate. Not coincidentally, it is also the first story I was asked to write using a character. I hope it meets the expecations of the readers.  
  
I hereby claim complete and total lack of ownership towards the characters, settings and names of events used in this story. I own nothing accept the idea of putting said characters into those situations I have created for them.  
  
I will be posting any lemons stories I happen to write, including the neko's mate lemons at :  
  
mediaminer.org  
  
Under the Title of Neko's Mate. Should have them up soon. Thanks to everyone who wrote and mentioned the places could post them.  
  
And thanks to those who've expressed interest in possibly drawing parts of my stories. I just wish I was able to draw myself, so I wouldn't have to bother anyone else with doing it for me.  
  
Konatsu Kenzan was feeling rather put out. He had been following the love of his life, Kuonji Ukyo, for most of the day, as was his habit when he was not left to work at her beloved restaurant. And as was her usual habit, she had been discretely trailing after the man she loved, Saotome Ranma.  
  
One would think that being rivals for the affections of the okonomiyaki chef would have made Konatsu and Ranma bitter enemies, but this was not the case. Konatsu held nothing but the deepest respect for Ranma. For both his skills as a warrior and the ease in which he interacted with others in his life. Konatsu's life had not been easy. Raised in ancient clan traditions as a kunoichi, despite being male, he had been taught little about the ways in which people interacted outside of the confines of the strict traditional forms. Even now, more than a year since being freed from virtual slavery to his only remaining family, he still dressed and acted as a traditional Japanese woman. Few indeed, were the people who even knew or remembered that he was in reality a man, not a woman, so effective was his guise.  
  
No, Saotome Ranma was not a rival for his affections. Ranma thought of Ukyo as nothing more than his oldest and dearest friend. Ukyo, like so many others he had met since leaving his family, was deluding herself. Saotome Ranma loved one person and oen person only: Tendo Akane. And she, despite her often violent denials was totally and completely in love with the brash and arrogant youth.  
  
Although, to be fair, Ranma had a right to be brash and arrogant. He was without a doubt one of the greatest martial artists currently living, and with time, he would no doubt grow to be one of the greatest the world had ever seen. Konatsu was no slouch himself, but he had to admit to himself that he was no match for Ranma. He knew that while he might, with enough time and effort, manage to perform some of the feats Ranma could do, Ranma could right now, do anything he could devise simply from observing him perform it once or twice. He had absolutely no doubt in his mind that Ranma withheld the vast majority of his skills when facing his rivals and suitors, not wishing to cause them harm.  
  
From his usual spot in the shadows, he had watched unnoticed as challenger after challenger sought to defeat Ranma. He had noted several times when Ranma had forced himself to reign in his instincts and keep from using his entire force during his almost daily battles. He strongly suspected that even Cologne and Happosai were no longer a serious match against Ranma on a purely skill wise field. Though the pair had a great deal more experience, then the young man and knew techniques that they had yet to demonstrate.  
  
Shaking his head to return his wandering mind to the task at hand, he stealthily started to move forward, making sure to remain hidden in the shadows. Ukyo was going to visit Ranma and Akane, responding once again to rumors that the pair had been seen acting much friendlier towards each other. Konatsu had heard the rumors himself, and after trailing Akane one evening, he had noted the rumors were for once, accurate. Throughout the entire night, he had not seen any sign of the usual behaviour they would use to cover their feelings for each other.  
  
In fact, he had seen them being openly affectionate, holding hands and whispering in each other's ears, causing blushes and hushes. None of the Tendo household made any indication of noting the oddity, though there was a rather triumphant look on the faces of Ranma's mother and Akane's eldest sister. At one point, Ranma had looked in his direction and whispered something into Akane's ear, and the two had put a little distance between themselves, before Akane made a quick exit, followed a minute later by Ranma. As he left the room, Ranma had again looked directly at him and nodded, showing that he had again known all the time that Konatsu had been there.  
  
He had said nothing of his observations to his beloved. He had not wanted to be the one who was responsible for shattering her illusions. He knew that time would be cruel to her love, and dearly wished that he could spare her the pain he knew was coming, but he knew the only way for that to happen was for Ranma to start to love her the way he loved Akane. And that would not happen, even with Akane's death. So for now, he trailed Ukyo as always as she reached to Tendo compound and made her way through the gate, only to freeze in midstride.  
  
Sensing a rush of shock and fear from the object of his adoration, he moved as quickly as he could to her side, only to freeze in place himself as he caught sight of what was happening in the Tendo dojo.  
  
While he had heard of the nekoken, he had not had the chance to witness it himself. And he had never heard of it causing Ranma to prance around naked, chasing an equally naked-and wildly laughing- Akane around the dubious confines of the oft repaired dojo.  
  
"What the hell is going on?" roared Ukyo, catching the attention of the lovers.  
  
Konatsu frowned and suddenly wished he had brought his sword as Ranma's inhuman gaze turned towards them. His entire body pulsed with the sudden urge of danger. He moved in front of Ukyo, desparately seeking to gain her some time to escape.  
  
He was distracted by Akane's shriek for a moment and turned to glance in her direction, only to find himself being slammed into by the muscular body of Ranma Saotome. As he flew back from the shoulder block, he could only feel relieved that NekoRanma had decided to show restraint against the male invading his territory.  
  
Before the darkness overtook him, he only prayed that he would show that same restraint towards the encroaching female.  
  
nekoRanma gave a rolling growl as he playfully chased his mate around their dwelling. He was happier then he had ever been, now that he had finally laid claim to his mate. She too was happier, and took great delight in the games they played, both when his human self was in charge and when he was incharge. She had even learned to enjoy and relax with his female form.  
  
He couldn't remember how he had awoken into control today, but he knew that it had been at his mate's request to his human half. He had awoken to find his mate preparing herself for him and he had gladly moved to mount her, only to have her scurry away, throwing him a look over her shoulder while wagging her shapely behind. Quickly moving towards her again, he had felt a moments irritation as she had again moved away, repeating her entreating gestures.  
  
He caught on and gave a faint growl and whimper, causing her to giggle. He slowly started to stalk towards her, only for her to scamper out of their private cave and into the public den. He had started chasing her, thoughts of mating drifting from his mind as he took in the simple joy and pleasure of playing witrh her with no real threats of violence.  
  
They had been playing for hours. She would occassionally allow him to catch her, and reward his skills by allowing him to mount her. They would rest a few moments afterwards, only to start the chase anew, taking turns chasing each other and pleasuring each other. NekoRanma had been watching the times his human self had mated with her and he had learned as his human self did the many ways he and his mate could pleasure each other.  
  
He was chasing her into the fighting den for a little exercise with their playtime when he felt a shift in the surrounding aura of peace distracted him and he turned to see what had entered their territory. A faint growling began as he caught sight of flaststick cook and girlyboy standing in the entrance to their den. He winced as his sensitive ears were punished by flatstick's shriek of outrage.  
  
He took a step towards the cook but paused as his mate gave a shriek of rage and dashed to hide behind the door of the fighting den. A motion as girlyboy moved in front of flatstick drew his attention and anger took over when the disguised male took a peek at his mate. He leapt forward, slamming his shoulder into the slighter boy and sending him flying out of the gates and slamming into the wall across the street.  
  
Flatstick yammered at him in her annoying voice, and he growled a warning at her, turning away and dismissing her. He trotted back into the fighting den, totally ignoring the dogbitch as she continued to yammer and screech at him. He wanted only to find his mate and make sure she was alright.  
  
He would have continued to ignore her, but his senses detected an incoming attack, and twisted out of the way, lashing out in retaliation and slicing the flatstick into a dozen tiny pieces. He gave a hiss of warning to the dogbitch and again turned to search for his mate, when the foolish female made a huge mistake. She reached out and grabbed his shoulder.  
  
He turned slowly and swiped at her, extending his claws just enough to draw a thin line of blood. She seemed startled and reacted instinctively, hitting him several times. Deciding that he was tired of the dogbitch and it was time to put an end to her interference, he swung a paw, connecting with her midsection and sending her backwards several feet to fall on her butt.  
  
He rose to his full height on his four paws and allowed his aura to shine outwards. He released a roar and slashed his paws at her feet. Luckily for her, she had enough sense to draw her feet away, allowing her to keep them attached to her legs.  
  
He would have pressed his attack, but he stopped as the other male appeared between them, arms outwide and head bowed. Confused he paused his attack long enough for his mate to reappear, once again wearing the false furs she wore to protect her from the prying eyes of others. She moved in front of him, placing a restraining hand on his tense shoulder. She was muttering soothing sounds low in her throat, stroaking his head in a calming manner. She was speaking again, but he was too angry at the intrusion to even attempt and reach within for his human self's understanding of her words. Besides, her actions spoke for her. She wished him to let the rivals live, even after their untimely interuption and unwanted observation of their playtime.  
  
Deciding to allow his mate to deal with the pair, he gave a couple of warning roars and trotted inside. The fake pond inside was filled with fresh water and would be able to give control back over to his human self. This time, he would let them live, but next time. . . next time they would die.  
  
Konatsu looked up as he heard Ranma roar, fully expecting to be meeting his ancestors sometime soon. He was surprised to see Ranma's backend disappearing into the house while Akane was glaring at him and Ukyo, her clenched hands resting on her hips. For the first time, he could understand Ranma's reaction to Akane's glare. "Miss Akane? You have stopped Mister Ranma?"  
  
Akane's glare lightened a fraction as she swung it in his direction. "Konatsu, I didn't do it for you, or for Ukyo. I did it because no matter what, Ranma is not a killer. He would never forgive himself if he had seriously injured either of you just because you walked in on us when we were . . . involved."  
  
Konatsu blushed, remembering that the sight that had greeted their eyes when he and Ukyo had entered the Tendo compound. "I am very sorry for that, Miss Akane. Ukyo-sama had heard several students talking about how close you and Ranmasan had been lately. She wanted to see for herself if the rumors were true." Konatsu's blush deepened, heightening the image of a girl on the threshold of woman hood. "It seems they were not. You are much closer than the rumors state."  
  
Akane blushed. "Look, Konatsu, what Ranma and I do is none of your or anyone elses concern. He is my fiancee and I . . . I love him. And he, he loves me." She glanced at Ukyo, who was still dazed, her eyes glazed over. She seemed to be mumbling something under her breath, but neither of them could make out what she was saying.  
  
"Take her home, Konatsu, and make sure she doesn't do anything stupid. I'm going to go and see if Ranma's human again." She made her way to the entrance and paused, looking over her shoulder as Konatsu easily bent down and lifted the larger Ukyo into his arms. "Oh, Konatsu?"  
  
The kunoichi turned to look at her. "Yes Miss Akane?"  
  
"The next time you try and spy on us, I'll let Ranma do what ever he feels is needed, understand?"  
  
Konatsu blinked and looked away. "Hai, Akanesama."  
  
Akane grinned. "That means hidding outside the windows too, Konatsu. If you want to see people making love, there are movies and stuff on TV. Make Ukyo buy you a dish or something and you can watch your perverted little heart out."  
  
His entire body now as red as Ranma's hair, Konatsu mumbled a reply and fled to the saftey of Ucchan's, vowing to do his best in the future to make sure and avoid Ranma when was nekofied. 


	12. Neko 12

Here is the long awaited continuation of Neko's Mate. No action, but some character growth. Since I wasn't able to find a cannon name for the Tendo matriarch, I used the name Mariko.

I hereby claim complete and total lack of ownership towards the characters, settings and names of events used in this story. I own nothing accept the idea of putting said characters into those situations I have created for them.

I will be posting any lemons stories I happen to write, including the neko's mate lemons at the Title of Neko's Mate. Should have them up soon. Thanks to everyone who wrote and mentioned the places could post them.

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Akane giggled as she watched Neko-Ranma prancing around the yard playfully. She'd gotten home from school to find her fiancee in his cursed form chasing the falling leaves from the tree in the yard. Kasumi had called the school, who had let her know that Ranma was in the neko-ken, but that he seemed happy to just play around in the yard and beat on on their fathers, who had been gone one a 'training' trip by the time she returned home. She had wanted to return home and snap Ranma out of it, but after their talk a few days before, she knew that Ranma wanted to try and get more comfortable with his neko state. Especially since he could remember everything they'd done that day while he was under the neko ken.

She blushed as she feltt a now familiar rising heat in her body. The feeling was enough to attract the attention of nekoRanma who stopped chasing bugs and turned to look at her. Even from across the yard, Akane could recognize the look that filled Ranma's face, though she had not had a chance to see it on Ranmachan's face yet. The few times they'd been . . . intimate since that day, Ranma had stayed male. Not because either of them were scared of trying anything when Ranma was a girl, just that the way things had been going, Ranma had been when they'd made love. While both of them were growing more curious about that aspect of their relationship, they were still adjusting to the changes in their life to force any furter changes.

She smiled as Ranma came bouncing over, doing her best to stay in control. She might be curious about what it would be like to make love to Ranmachan, but she didn't think that now was the time to satisfy her curiosity. They needed more time to get used to being together in that way before they tried any more . . . advanced methods. So instead of giving into the urge to throw her arms around her fiancee and kiss the other girl silly, she simply threw one arm over her shoulder and scratched the redhead behind the ear.

She was grateful that for Ranma's part, the girl only placed her head on Akane's knees and curled up around her feet, purring in happiness while batting at her sock covered toes. Akane giggled a bit about that, having long since gotten used to nekoRanma's weird obsession with attacking her toes. She wondered why the cat side of Ranma felt that the wriggly little things were a danger to her, but as long as Ranma didn't try and bite them off or anything, she was mostly just amused by the habit.

She looked over the yard, feeling a sense of contentment as she took in the sight of her beloved homestead. She had never really taken the time to apprecieate everything her family had until Ranma had come into their lifes. She might have lost her mother much too eaarly, but Ranma had suffered far worse during his time, and had always seemed so happy until all the fiancee mess started to really grow out of control. She had lost sight of what really mattered for a while as her jealousy caused her to mistreat and abuse Ranma's friendship.

As horrible as the nekoken training was, she couldn't help but be grateful that Ranma had gone through it, for she owed the new openess and trust between her and Ranma to his neko state. Without it, he would not have been able to tell her how he felt, and she would have been too shy to tell him without going into a jealous rant about his other fiancees. He was more free and open while under the effects of the nekoken.

She continued to pet Ranma, who seemed to slowly drift off to sleep, the gentle purring turning into soft breathing, and Akane knew that Ranma would be back to human when she awoke. She stopped petting her and instead put her arm across her back, her hand gently squeezing her shoulder as she continued to watch the yard, memories of both before Ranma and after flashing in her mind. The peaceful setting allowed her to finally release some of the grief she'd bottled up over the years since her mother's death, and for the first time since she was 6 years old, she allowed the tears to run from her eyes and felt no pain as she shifted through the few clear memories of her mother.

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Kasumi watched from the engawa entrance as her youngest sister and her cursed fiancee snuggled together on the steps. She'd been watching the two since Akane had arrived home from school. She had been startled earlier that afternoon to see the red haired girl bounding over the entrance, a large fish held in her mouth. She had smiled at the sight and recalled that Omanesan had mentioned that Ranma was welcome to stop by his stall for a snack any time the pig-tailed martial artist shifted into his neko state. Crime had virtually disappeared since the arrival of the amazing youth and his equally talented friends and enemies, and the normal activities of groups like the Yakuza had dried up seemingly over night.

For despite their on-going feuds and rivalries, any of the local martial artists would team up to demonstrate a little community spirit in the form of object lessons with the less honorable members of society. After having dozens of their men beaten to a pulp and placed into police custody, the organised groups had pulled out of Nerima. There had been a few attempts at retaliation, but with artists capable of lifting cars, pulling out telephone poles to use as a weapon in a fight, and both throwing and being thrown throught brick, concrete and cement like they were tissue paper-not to mention fast enough to dodge bullets(Ranma, Shampoo, Cologne) or too densely structured(Ryoga) for bullets to penetrate, they had realised they were out of their league.

The businesses in the small community were willing to put up with the occassional power outage or structural damage thanks to the presence of what Nabiki had jokingly called the Nerima Wrecking crew. The name ahd been adopted instantly by the rest of the community and it had become a source of pride to exhibit any damage done to your establishment by members of the NWC. Despite damaged facilities, business usually rose after one of the myriad fights between the various NWC members as the owners took advantage of natural curiosity. Each hole, broken table, shattered window was added to list at each business and people would take long lunches or bring their families to various restaurants they might not have visitted before to here the latest story in the on-going saga of the various love/hate relationships among the group.

Kasumi smiled and wiped her hands with a cloth, before moving silently out onto the deck and moving to take a seat beside her sister. She might not be able to see Akane's face, but she could read her imoutochan's body language as well as her own, and could also see the streaks of sorrow in her aura. Akane was crying, and judging from the deep color and shrinking size of the streaks, she could easily hazard a guess why the younger woman was so sad. She sat down and placed a loving arm around her imouto's shoulders bracing her incase she wasn't ready to speak.

Akane turned to look as her sister sat beside her, a bright smile lighting her face despite the tears running down her cheeks. "I miss mother." she said simply, only a sampling of the pain she'd once felt in her voice. "I wonder if she'd like Ranma?"

Kasumi's smile grew. "Oh, Akane. I miss her too. A little more each day, but that's okay. It's not wrong to miss mother, but she wouldn't want us to give up our lives to be trapped in the past and in the pain ofher death. She would want us to look to the future and to live our lives with happiness knowing that one day, we will be together again." She looked down at the dozing red head. "I think she would have loved Ranma and been proud to have him in our family. I know she would be happy that you have found someone who makes you so happy and who loves you so much." Kasumi paused for a moment, not wishing to upset her sister with the next few words. "Mother would also understand that grief lessens as time passes and she would understand and approve of your setting aside the pain of her loss to allow room in your heart for love to grow. She would be most upset with father for his behaviour over the last few years."

Akane smile grew as she listened to her sister. "I like to think she would too. That she woudl understand, I mean. Not that she'd be upset with Daddy." She looked down at the soft red hair she'd been petting a few moments ago. "One day, long from now, I'll be able to introduce her to Ranma."

Kasumi smiled and the two Tendo daughters looked out into the yard, gazing at the beautiful work done by their ancestors. "Mother planted the tree, you know? When she was younger then you are now." Kasumi stated, knowing that with the lessening of her pain, Akane was finally ready to hear stories regarding their mother as they had been todl to Kasumi by her and their other family members. "When she and father married, he took her name. It was the only way grandfather would let them marry since father's name was tainted from the time he'd trained with Happosai and Grandfather didn't want anyone who didn't already know about him to associate our family with the Higami Soun who had becomed a reknowned thief and agent of the government."

Akane gave a small laugh and asked for more details. Kasumi was happy to provide them. They spent the rest of the afternoon, until sunset, sitting on the deck stairs, Kasumi telling her sister stories about their mother. Ranma woke and sat up, listening carefully so as not to bother the two. When they noticed that the other girl was awake, Akane simply pulled her into a hug and placed a gentle kiss on Ranma's cheek. Sometime during a story about the first time their mother met Genma, Nabiki came home and joined them, curling up on the other side of Kasumi and the four girls simply sat, enjoying each other's comforting presence and stories of the life of Tendo Mariko as told of lovingly by her eldest daughter to her younger siblings and the youngest girl's fiancee.

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AN:

Well, I hope you like this. I know it's been a long time since there was a new Neko's mate, and with all the reviews and requests I've had recently for more, I was finally able to come up with one I liked. But sadly, don't expect too much of me on this story. This is, as I once mentioned, something of a transatory work for me, something to write while I come up with ideas for my other stories.

As I was starting to write this, I finally came up with a decent story for a Ranmachan/Akane lemon. It's actually gonna start the same as this one, but will branch into a lemon when Ranma moves to Akane and Akane starts petting her.


	13. Neko 13

I hereby claim complete and total lack of ownership towards the characters, settings and names of events used in this story. I own nothing accept the idea of putting said characters into those situations I have created for them.

Here's a list of nicks I'll use for some characters(some have multiple):

Tatewaki Kunostickfool/boy Kodaichi Kunocrazyflower

Kasumi TendoProvider(always capitalized to show his respect)

Cologneghoul/troll Happosaioldfreak

Mouseblindduck/duckboy Shampoopurplefur

Ukyo Kuonji? (flatstick cook or girlboy)

Konatsu Kenzanboygirl

Ryoga Hibikipigidiot Nabiki Tendogreedygirl/trickster

Genma Saotomepandaoyaji/greedygut Nodakamother/

Akane Tendomate/brightsmile/

Soun Tendoweteyes Tofu OnoHealer

I'll make up more for some of the minor characters when I think of them. Collectively, nekoRanma will refer to his suitors as dogbitches. The fathers are sillysires.

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Neko-Ranma didn't understand why all those people were chasing after him and screeching in those strange sounds human animals made. He only remembered waking up in control and smelling the scent of nearby toms. He had hissed at them, and they had hissed back, warning him that this was their territory and there wasn't enough prey to share. So he had backed off, and left the valley between the two big man-mountains.

He had tried to find a trace of his mate's scent, but all he could smell were traces of the dogbitches, and his rivals for his mate. He had growled a bit and taking time to mark over their scent, but then had heard the sounds of a loud battle nearby. He'd gone to investigate, since this was part of his greater territory, and a fight usually meant a new rival for his mate, or another false female trying to trap him into leaving his mate.

He had watched the fighting from the top of one of the light-trees. There had been several figures attacking a pair of figures in the middle, and he had perked up, recognizing that the figures were purplefur and smalltroll. He extended his senses to get a better feel of the attackers, and though they seemed fairly powerful, he could easily tell they were no match for smalltroll and purplefur. He might not like purplefur because of the way she chased after his human self like a dog after a bone, but he knew that she was a strong fighter. Not as strong as he, of course, and with some work and help from his human self, his mate would grow past her in little time. As for the smalltroll, she was an annoying little mousie, but she was both powerful and wise, and though he didn't trust her not to trick his human self, he did appreciate the times she'd helped them save their mate.

Feeling bored just watching, as the two knocked the dark clad attackers over like bowling pins, he leapt off the light-tree and bounced off the heads of several of the masked figures, sending them unconcious to the ground. He landed next to smalltroll and crouched. "Meow?" he asked, then sighed remembering that humans didn't speak an intelligent language, only those strange squally sounds. He'd meant to ask what was going on, but didn't know how to make them understand. He wished humans were more intelligent.

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Ku Lon frowned as she sent several attackers flying with a sweep of her staff. She didn't recognize any of the auras of these people, and didn't understand why they were attacking her and Xian Pu. She couldn't recall anyone with the resources to retain a force this size that would be foolish enough to send only 30 warriors to take on two of the best of Jokoketsu, especially when one of those was and Elder. Usually, the tribes enemies would sent three times these numbers for a prize such as herself and her rather comely grand-daughter. Her frown deepened as she realised that Xian Pu was tiring. 'Too much time spent away from the rigors of the tribe. We are growing soft here. I must think of a way to either capture the boy, or release him soon, before the damage to Xian Pu's skills is too ingrained to be trained out of her.' she thought to herself.

So occupied in thought and in the battle, she had to admit that she gave a startled jump when the boy landed next to her, and moved into a crouch before Meowing in what was obviously and interagative tone. Her eyes moved along the path his trajectory had brought him, and she sax that six of the attackers had been rendered senseless. 'I really must ask how he does that head leaping trick one of these days.' she thought as her eyes shifter back to the now frowning human feline. "Sorry child, I don't understand cat, and I'm a little too tired to change Xian back and forth just to learn what you asked. I can guess that you ask what these people are doing attacking us? Well, I don't know." she paused as a thought occured to her. "What am I doing explaining, you don't understand a word I'm saying. How's this?" she gestured to herself and Xian Pu, then pointed at the bags containing their supplies for the restaurant, then mimed surprise and made a show of looking around at the attackers, then put a puzzled expression on her face and shrugged.

The neko warrior tilted his head and without looking launched a hand planted two-legged mule kick, each foot landing firmly on the sternum of the pair trying to sneak up on him. The pair were launched backwards off their feet, slamming into several of their cohorts and knocking them down like bowling pins. As Ranma's feet touched the ground, a third attacker swung a daikatana in a horizontal sweep aimed to separate his head from his neck. He he went into a back flip to avoid the sweep. As he reached the head down vertical, his feet kicked the sword out of the next attackers hand, sending it spinning to stab deep into the brick of a nearby building. He landed on his hands and rolled to his elbows, along his chest and stomach, his back arching. His thighs and knees were next and he rolled to his feet, then lashed out with a punch, knocking out the former sword wielder.

He immediately perform a spinning roundhouse, knocking down another of the attackers. He spun to face the rest and hissed sharply, his aura forming around him.

'Oh shit. They'd made him angry. He was just playing earlier.' Ku Lon thought as she watched the boy lash out, and several weapons fall into slivers no bigger than a pinkie. A wind picked up, and the clothing of the leading figures fell into tatters, only their masks remained untaouched.

Ku Lon blinked as the figures paid no head to their nudity or the loss of their weapons. 'It's a good thing son-in-law is under the neko ken right now.' she thought, noting that several of the figures were actually well endowed women. 'He'd be useless at the moment because of his idiotic notions about not hitting women, even those who were trying to kill him.' Several of them rushed Ranma, who twisted around their blows with the boneless grace nartual to all felines. She had no time to admire his movements, as others again took the attack back to herself and Xian Pu.

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Neko-Ranma was growing bored. While there was a bit of a challenge in dodging the sheer number of attacks coming his way, none of them were of enough power to do much damage even if they landed. He continued to dodge the blows, trying to make it a dance against his enemies. He was disturbed by these humans, who were not acting like any of the human's he'd fought or seen fight before. They were too quiet, only the occassional grunt when they were struck. Their movements too didn't seem as . . . smooth as other's he'd seen. While they were technically correct in their strikes, there was a rigidness to them that made it seem artificial. 'I tire of this.' he though, leaping back to the top of a light-tree. He slashed with his claws, ripping easily through the skin of an attacker.

Two things happened then. One was that the attacker paused and looked down at the injury. The other was that when the attacker noticed that she was unclothed, she covered herself and screamed. Her scream seemed to act as some type of trigger, for soon all the masked attackers were stopping and looking around as though they had no idea what they were doing.

Neko-Ranma mewed in confusion as he watched those who's false furs had been shredded seeking to hide their ugly copper skin. Sensing no further danger, he leapt down and approached smalltroll and purplefur. He cocked his head at them, then nodded at the people milling around. He gave a purr as she spoke in that harsh human language, then he leapt up to the light-tree and resumed his search for his mate.

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Ku Lon's head spun around as she heard the first sound fro mone of the unknown attackers. She saw a woman uselessly trying to cover her form with only her hands, blood slowly surfacing from several scratches on her chest. She was surprised to see the rest of the attackers stop as the woman screamed, and watched as one by one, they took in their surroundings and those who'd been defrothed hastily some some cover for their flesh. From the corner of her eye, she saw her grand-daughter taking measure of the men with a thoughtful look on her face. 'Ah, to be young and filled with urges.' she thought to herself as Ranma landed before her again.

She watched Ranma looking pointedly at her and Xian Pu, then gesturing with his head to the former attackers, who were removing their masks and still looking around as though they had no idea about any of what had just happened. She nodded to Ranma and gestured in the general direction of the restaurant, and then grinned as the neko warrior leapt off, most likely to resume whatever game he'd been playing before the fight attracted his attention.

"Shampoo, held those without clothing to find some coverings. Don't worry about style. Just cover up that best left to private indulgences. We will bring these people to the Nekohanten and let them know what happened, and ask for information about what they last remember there." Her grand-daughter nodded and leapt off, heading towards the closest laundry mat to gather clothing for the dozen or so nude people. "Excuse me." she called out, letting her ki infuse her voice with a sense of calm. All turned to look at her. "My grand daughter is gone to fetch clothing for those who seem to have been stripped. Once she returns, we will journey to my restaurant, the Nekohanten, where I will explain what I know of what happened, and answer any questions I can. In turn, I will speak with each of you, in order to learn how you came to be here." She paused and met each person's eyes. They all nodded, agreeing to the plan. "I will also provide more appropriate clothing then whatever my grand-daughter manages to liberate, and a meal while we search for the cause of this distrubance."

Shampoo returned minutes later, carrying a full laundry basket. "Xian Pu find too too nice girl with laundry. Explain why need, so too too nice girl let Xian have old clothes no fit mercenary girl and kitchen destroyer. Clothes for men from crying man. Shampoo think should cover attackers." She studied the men as they came scrambling for the clothes. "though she wish mens go slower at covering. Shampoo enjoying view." she muttered to her grand-mother in their native language.

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Neko-Ranma had easily returned to more familiar surroundings, and feeling an ache in his stomach, decided to make a trip to the fish market. If he was lucky, then man-who-has-many would be willing to share a bite to eat. Man-who-has-many was nearly as nice as Provider when he stopped by to visit, and always had a little something that he was willing to share with a poor starving feline.

Following his nose and allowing his eyes to roam the people as they moved through the intricate maze of stalls in the market, he soon reached his goal. While he knew that Man-who-has-many would not be offended if neko-Ranma simply took his gift first before asking, he always made a point of being polite to those that fed him, having learned over the years how rare those people were on their travels. Greedygut was not well liked, and if any who might have been willing to feed him learned that he was travelling with the lazy thief, they would get angry and chase him off. It wasn't his fault that greedygut was his father, nor was it his human self's. It was a joke by the kami on a poor kitten and his human counterpoint.

He reached Mwhm's stall and took on a crouch, trying his best t olook weak and pathetic with hunger. He knew this was a difficult thing, as he was well aware that he was a fine example of both feline and human and it was hard for someone as generally magnificient as they were to ever look weak or pathetic. Even his female form was a wondorously attractive figure, otherwise why would he have such a beautiful creature as his mate? She had better taste then to choose those weak fools that were sniffing around her. She'd wanted someoen strong and able to protect her, and in time, provide her with many litters of kittens. Soon, she would be ready for them to mate, and he was sure he'd soon be teaching a group of rambunctious kittens how to hunt and fight and protect their territories and mates.

Shaking his head of pleasant thoughts, he went into the act, pleased at yet another talent at which he excelled. "Meeowwwwwe" he moaned pitifully, putting as much sorrow and loss into his voice as he could.

Hwhm looked over the counter and smiled down at neko-Ranma. He greeted the cat in human tongue, then disappeared for a moment behind the stall. He reappeared and presented neko-Ranma with a tray on which were several varieties of food.

'I always knew this man was smarted then most humans.' neko thought to himself as he studied the feast. Not wishing to be like greedygut, and knowing Provider would soon be feeding them a larger meal, neko took one of the smaller eels, a palm sized octopus, and a small hamachi. He sat and carefully ate the snack, thanking Hwhm with a loud purr.

After finishing his snack, he started to head home, only to here the sounds of many people running. He looked over his shoulder and saw a large group, screaming and shouting and calling out his name. It was one of the few words he understood in the humans uncivilized tongue. His name, his mates, and her sisters names as well as the words for the time to eat and the foods they ate.

Not wishing to fight, he took off, leading them on a merry chase of his larger territories, dodging the occassional weapon thrown his way. He didn't know why they chased him, but he enjoyed it for the first half hour or so, the he remembered that it would soon be the time that Provider put out the third meal and grew annoyed that he couldn't get away from those who followed him.

Finally fed up with them, and sure he was missing his meal, he started to seriously try to evade his pursuers. He was tired of fleeing, didn't want to fight, so that meant he had to find a place to hide while they went past him. An idea occured to him and he headed to his favorite bit of forest. IT wasn't a wild forest like the one's he'd spent time in on their journeys, but it had made trees and places to hide. One of his and his human self's favorite was under the arch that crossed the little stream in the park. He liked sitting under there for hours, just relaxing and enjoying the sounds and scents of the forest. The only one who ever looked under there for him was his mate, and he would gladly accept her presence under the bridge.

He reached the park, and started weaving his way through the evenly spaced trees. The trees slowed the pursuers enough for him to get ahead and soon he was relaxing under his arch. He listened as the pursuers reached the bridge and paused. While he didn't understand the words they threw at each other, he knew that they must be wondering where he was since the clearing in this part of the park didn't provide many hidding places. Eventually, they gave up and the group split up, everyone going off alone, or in small groups up to 4.

Ranma watched the flowing water of the stream and felt at peace with the world. His eyes grew heavy, and feeling that he'd had enough excitement for the, decided to go to sleep and allow his human self control of their body.

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Ranma's eyes opened slowly, and he looked around. 'Under the bridge, and my hands smell like fish? Must of went neko when Gos tripped me into that crate of alleycats.' he thought as he slowly sat up. He moved out from under the bridge and started walking towards the Tendo-ke. 'I wonder what else happened while I was under?' he thought as he absentmindedly leapt to the fence and started racing home. His stomach had informed him that it was nearly supper, and Kasumi had promised to make a Western dish tonight. Something called sheperd's pie.

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AN

hope you all enjoyed this. It's longer then most have been. I've been on kick lately, writting long chapters, as I'm sure some of you have noticed because you ALL read each of my stories, right?

For those interested, the third fish neko-Ranma picked is yellow tail, a common element of a sushi tray.


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